More than 60 per cent of senior executives in Australia believe the Australian Government should intervene in, and regulate, the activities of Australia’s two leading supermarkets, Woolworths and Coles, according to a survey undertaken by international law firm Baker & McKenzie. Baker and McKenzie surveyed 162 senior executives in Australia to ascertain the hurdles their businesses face, and what actions governments and regulators need to take to ensure that Australians will continue to... ...Read more »

Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has recalled two cupcake mixes from stores nationwide over fears they contain undeclared traces of milk and nuts following a labelling error. The products in question are Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Devil’s Food Cupcakes (mix) and Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Confetti Cupcakes (mix). Both products are available in Woolworths, Safeway, Food For Less, and Flemings Supermarkets nationwide. The products in question are sold in 255g red cardboard boxes. They are... ...Read more »

A social media stunt by Australian supermarket chain Coles has backfired, leaving the supermarket group facing a torrent of public criticism through Twitter. Coles had invited people on Twitter to finish the sentence, ‘In my house it’s a crime not to buy …..’. Within minutes, several Twitter users took up the invitation and responded with sentences that referred, in very critical tones, to the ongoing ‘price war’ Coles is engaged in with rival supermarket chain Woolworths. One tweet sarcastically... ...Read more »

Melbourne-based advertising agency Droga5 has been appointed by Woolworths to take charge of the supermarket chain’s advertising. Sydney-based M&C Saatchi have held the Woolworths account for the past ten years and will continue to work for the Woolworths Limited group as creative agency for Masters Home Improvement. Woolworths General Manager of Marketing, Lizzy Ryley said, “Droga5 is a highly innovative agency with a great reputation for strong creative ideas and strategic planning skills.  “The... ...Read more »

Unibic, the maker of Australia’s iconic ANZAC biscuits, has been placed in voluntary administration. Production of biscuits at Unibic’s Broadmeadows plant has come to a stop, potentially endangering the jobs of 170 people in Melbourne. The administrators, insolvency law firm Lawler Draper Dillon, suggested the rising cost of raw ingredients and the pricing pressures applied by Coles and Woolworths may have been the cause of the insolvency. Unibic has been producing biscuits, cakes and pastries... ...Read more »

  Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has launched Speak Up, a new, externally-hosted hotline – delivered by Deloitte – for Woolworths suppliers to report trading concerns of a serious nature after standard procedures have been exhausted.Issues, which can be reported anonymously, include fraud, corruption, threatening behaviour, people or product safety risks, theft, conflict of interest, bullying and harassment. Woolworths says that the delivery by Deloitte assures a greater level... ...Read more »

A new government report has highlighted the extent to which Australia’s two major supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, are monopolising the retailing of food in Australia. The market position of each of these two major supermarket groups is so powerful that Australian food suppliers feel they are facing a duopsony despite the competition existing between the two supermarket groups. The report, titled ‘Foodmap: An analysis of the Australian food supply chain’, was launched on... ...Read more »

Woolworths today unveiled its “virtual supermarkets” at Flinders Street Station in the Melbourne CBD and at Town Hall Station in central Sydney. The “virtual supermarkets” are billboards which display images of real supermarket shelves with grocery items. The new wall follows the launch of Woolworths’ new mobile shopping App earlier this week. Shoppers in Melbourne and Sydney can now purchase Woolworth grocery products by scanning the barcodes on the billboards with their smartphones.... ...Read more »

Woolworths Australia has announced it has formed an alliance with the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) to develop a Blueprint for the future of Australian agriculture and farming. The move comes as Woolworths seeks to protect itself from a strong resurgence by its competitor, Coles, pushing a farm-fresh marketing campaign that has been Woolworths main marketing moniker for over two decades. Director of Woolworth supermarkets, Tjeerd Jegen, said that maintaining a strong relationship with Australian... ...Read more »

Wal-Mart Stores Inc has announced that Australian Greg  Foran, former CEO of the leading Australian supermarket group Woolworths, has been appointed president and CEO of Wal-Mart China effective 1 March 2012. After resigning from the position of head of food, liquor and petrol at Woolworths in July 2011, Greg Foran moved to theUSas senior vice president for Wal-Mart International and has been there since. This appointment will see Mr Foran take charge ofWal-MartChina’s retail operations, which... ...Read more »