Australia news

As we welcome in 2014, Senior Business Analyst Nick Miles looks ahead and explores some of the trends and developments that we are likely to see emerge from Australia's dynamic and exciting grocery market over the next 12 months. 1. Thinking 'multichannel' will unlock new areas of growth After years of supermarket dominated retailing, the Australian grocery market is becoming increasingly comp...

To stimulate your thinking for 2014, six of our analysts have selected their favourite large stores of the past year. Tesco Extra (Watford, UK): creating a new future for hypermarkets? Nick Miles, Senior Business Analyst Tesco’s relaunched hypermarket in Watford was a ‘retail event of 2013’, seeing the retailer open the first of its new look ‘destination Extra’ stores and to create more...

Peter Struck named as new CEO of Metcash's convenience store division. New CEOs for supermarket and convenience divisions Alongside its interim results presentation last week, Metcash announced plans to split its supermarket and convenience operations. Fergus Collins will head the supermarket division, whilst Peter Struck lead the convenience division, tipped as a key growth channel for...

Costco’s first quarter net sales increased by 5.4% to $24.5bn, with comparable store sales (excluding fuel and currency impacts) up 5.0%. Net income attributable to Costco increased at a slower rate of 2.2% to $425.0m, mainly due to higher than anticipated operating expenses. Fresh foods among best performing departments This was another solid performance from Costco overall, although pro...

Coles and Woolworths have agreed to voluntarily cap the level of discounts they offer on fuel. More level playing field for the competition The agreement means that the retailers will only offer discounts that are solely funded from their fuel and associated convenience businesses, plus see them cap the discounts available from supermarket dockets at 4¢ off per litre. Independent retailer...

As part of its ongoing strategic review, Metcash has announced that it is to break its food and grocery business into separate supermarket and convenience operations. Dedicated resource for both supermarkets and convenience Having last year merged the wholesaling / convenience and supermarket parts of its business together, Metcash has taken the decision to once again run these functions as ...

Coles has officially launched three more 'next generation' stores at Broadway, Bondi Junction and Balgowlah in Sydney. Next exciting phase of store renewal plan The newly remodelled stores follow on from the first 'next generation' store that the retailer opened in Southlands, Melbourne in December 2012 and are the first stores to be launched in this new format in Sydney. The three developmen...

Coles has teamed up with food publication Gourmet Traveller to promote its Coles Finest private label products on the streets of Sydney and Melbourne. Truck to promote premium private label in key locations The Coles Finest truck will be touring the streets of Sydney and Melbourne over the next two weeks, promoting the best that Coles Finest private label has to offer. Coles says that its pro...

Metcash has reported half year results to 31 October 2013, with revenues up 4.9% to AU$6.64bn and underlying profits after tax down 1.9% to AU$119.0m. Metcash Food & Grocery sales down 1.5% to AU$4,484m Declining sales and EBIT (down 13.9% to AU$151m) were attributed to ongoing price deflation, which was measured at 1.3%, with like-for-like (LFL) wholesaling sales falling at the same rate. Pl...

After 11 years as Woolworths Chief Financial Officer, Tom Pockett will retire from his position on 1 February and the Woolworths Board on 1 July 2014. David Marr to succeed Tom Pockett Pockett was appointed as CFO in August 2012 and joined the Woolworths Board seven years ago. He will be replaced by David Marr, who has been lined up to succeed Pockett over the last three years. Marr joined ...