Australian multinational supermarket chain owned by Woolworths Group
This article is about the Australian supermarket chain. For its parent company, see
Woolworths Group (Australia). For other retail establishments of the same name, see
Woolworth.
Woolworths Supermarkets (colloquially known in Australia as "Woolies") is an Australian chain of
supermarkets and
grocery stores owned by
Woolworths Group. Founded in 1924, Woolworths today is Australia's biggest supermarket chain with a market share of 33% as of 2019.[3]
Woolworths specialises in groceries (vegetables, fruit, meat, packaged foods, etc.), but also sells magazines, DVDs, health and beauty products, household products, pet and baby supplies, and stationery. As at June 2023, there were 995 Woolworths supermarkets and 90 Woolworths Metro
convenience stores.[1] Woolworths Online (formerly HomeShop) is a click and collect, and home delivery service for Woolworths supermarkets.
Woolworths Limited (now Woolworths Group) was founded on 22 September 1924 by five Australian entrepreneurs – Percy Christmas, Stanley Chatterton, Cecil Scott Waine, George Creed and Ernest Williams.[4] The first store was opened on 5 December 1924 in
Pitt Street of
Sydney's
Imperial Arcade, called "Woolworths Stupendous Bargain Basement".[5] Following the first store there were only 29
shareholders and there was little interest to accelerate the brand's growth. However, as trading continued and shareholders brought more capital, the dividends paid by the company increased from 5% to 50% after its third year of operation.
Consumer interest in the company grew after December 1924, as more branches of the store were established across Australia. Woolworths stores began selling a variety of goods, claiming the lowest prices as well as money back guarantees.[6] At the forefront of innovation in Australia, Woolworths stores became the first variety store in the world to install
receipt printing
cash register machines in 1926.[7]
The second Woolworths outlet was opened on 6 August 1927, on
Queen Street, Brisbane.[8] The first Woolworths store in
New Zealand was opened in 1929, but the chain has since been rebranded as
Countdown(see also
Woolworths (New Zealand supermarket chain))which in 2023, the Woolworths - Countdown rebrand was reversed. Following the opening of the
Hobart store in 1940, Woolworths had a store in every state in Australia.[9]
With the company and its stores running successfully, Woolworths began to experiment with expanding their grocery range – more stores began stocking fresh fruits and vegetables and a larger range of food. The first
self-service store in
Beverly Hills, Sydney was opened in 1955.[8] In 1958 the first supermarket was opened at
Dee Why, followed by the first purpose-built supermarket at
Warrawong Plaza in 1960.[10] As Woolworths gradually focused more on groceries, the first
Big W department store was opened in 1964 at
Jesmond, New South Wales.[11]
In 2018, Woolworths Group stopped providing
single-useplastic bags during checkout at the same time as
Coles Supermarkets, bringing them in line with Australia's third-biggest supermarket,
Aldi.[12] In the following three months, Australian's plastic bag use dropped by 80%, leading to 1.5 billion fewer bags going to landfill.[13] Woolworths also committed to removing 180 tonnes of plastic packaging from their products in 2018.[14]
In September 2021, Woolworths launched an online marketplace called Everyday Market. The marketplace allows customers to purchase products from partnered companies, including products not normally sold in the supermarket.[15]
In May 2023, Woolworths acquired
Milkrun, a fast grocery delivery startup which ceased operations the previous month and competed with the supermarket's Metro60 delivery service. Woolworths rebranded Metro60 as Milkrun.[16][17]
Acquisitions
In 1982, Woolworths Limited acquired two Tasmanian grocery brands:
Roelf Vos and
Purity, which were converted into Woolworths stores in 2000.
In 1958 Woolworths Limited acquired all 32 Brisbane Cash & Carry stores, which was a popular Brisbane grocery store chain. These were then later rebranded as Woolworths stores.[18]
After the arrival of American supermarket giant
Safeway in Australia in 1962,
Safeway Australia was bought by Woolworths in 1985. Woolworths Limited acquired all of the Safeway stores and the naming rights in exchange for a 20% equity interest in Woolworths Limited.[19][20] At the time of the acquisition, Safeway had 126 stores across
Victoria,
Queensland and
New South Wales.[21] All Safeway stores in Queensland and New South Wales were rebranded as Woolworths supermarkets, but most Victorian stores continued trading as Safeway.[22] In 2008, Woolworths announced it would rebrand Safeway stores as Woolworths, and this process was completed in June 2017.[23]
Slogan
In 1987, Woolworths launched the "Fresh Food People" campaign after implementing new company protocols for their fresh food departments.[8] The slogan changed slightly in 2012 to "Australia's Fresh Food People" to promote the fact that 96% of fresh produce sold in Woolworths supermarkets is grown in Australia.[24] In 2014 the original "The Fresh Food People" slogan returned with a new lineup of television commercials. Various other catchphrases have been used in recent advertisements, including "That's Today's Fresh Food People", and "Get Your Woolies Worth."
Loyalty schemes
Loyalty schemes include a number of incentives for purchasing at their stores by subsidising petrol prices at
Caltex Woolworths petrol stations and the now defunct Woolworths Plus Petrol. Discounts included 2-cent, 4-cent, 6-cent and in some regional areas 10-cent discounts on fuel, rewarded for purchases over certain amounts.
In September 2007, Woolworths began a trial in central-west New South Wales of
Everyday Rewards, a Woolworths shopping card that automatically tracks supermarket purchases and fuel discounts, thus eliminating the need for shoppers to retain paper coupons.[25] In addition it allows Woolworths to record purchases made by customers to offer them relevant promotions and for studies in demographics and marketing,[26] hence incentives for customers who register their details.
In February 2008, following the New South Wales trial, Woolworths announced that its Everyday Rewards card would be rolled out nationally. The implementation began with South Australia and Northern Territory in mid-February 2008, and to other states (excluding Tasmania)[27] by the end of May 2008.[28] In August 2009, Woolworths announced that there were 3.8 million cards registered, of which 1.2 million were linked to a Qantas Frequent Flyer account.[29]
Frequent Shopper Club
The Frequent Shopper Club, stylised as F$C, was a reward program for shopping in Woolworths stores in
Tasmania. It was started by Purity Supermarkets in 1992, and was in use until January 2021.[30][31] In July 2020, Woolworths announced that the program would be folded into the Everyday Rewards program.[32]
Credit card
In 2007, Woolworths announced that it was planning to launch a general purpose credit card in 2008.[33] Woolworths offered these credit card holders reward vouchers redeemable throughout its store network.[34] Woolworths subsequently announced that the Woolworths Everyday Money MasterCard would be launched on 26 August 2008, allowing customers to earn shopping cards redeemable at Woolworths Group retailers.[35][36]
A budget label covering everyday household products and groceries. Products within this range typically feature a red and white Woolworths logo on the top left corner on the front side of the packaging.[37]
Woolworths Food Range
Woolworths' most populous own brand range, it features food lines in all categories across the store. Products in this range feature a green and white logo. Customer can become part of a food sampling group called "Bunch" in order to test foods within this range and provide feedback to make improvements.[38]
Gold
This own brand features premium products which are usually only available around Christmas time, and include products such as Christmas puddings, fruit mince pies and cakes.[39]
Macro Wholefoods Market
Macro features a range of foods that are free from artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours, added MSG and hydrogenated oils. Many products in this range are promoted as organic foods.[40] The brand was acquired by Woolworths in 2009, along with nine store leases in New South Wales and Victoria originally intended for use by its
Thomas Dux business. As a result of the ceasing of operations of Thomas Dux in 2017 only two of the former Macro Wholefoods sites are still leased by Woolworths, from 2017 being used as Woolworths Metro supermarkets. However, in 2021 one of the sites, in Black Rock, Victoria, was closed and is thought to be being replaced by a
BWS or
Dan Murphy's liquor outlet. Despite the closure of the sites, the brand is still sold in Woolworths supermarkets today.[41]
Delicious Nutritious
This range is a collaboration between Woolworths and Australian personal trainer
Michelle Bridges. The range is exclusively chilled and frozen meals, all of which include 2–3 serves of vegetables, grains and protein, and are all under 450 calories per serve.[42]
The Odd Bunch
This is a fresh produce brand which features fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, lemons and apples, that are oddly shaped or are otherwise imperfect. These products are sold at a cheaper price as a compromise to this.[43]
Woolworths NZ is the trading name in
New Zealand. Woolworths also operated supermarket brands
Foodtown and
Woolworths until November 2011, which were rebranded as Countdown. On 18 July 2023, it was announced by Woolworths Group that Countdown will be rebranded Woolworths from early 2024.[45]
Woolworths Metro is a chain of small format grocery stores launched in 2013. The first store opened in Sydney, and the chain now has over 90 stores across Australia as of August 2023. Three of them are former
Thomas Dux stores, while others are mostly placed within
central business districts.
Ampol Woolworths MetroGo is a chain of smaller Woolworths Metro convenience stores launched in March 2022, and are found exclusively in some
Ampol service stations.[46][47] These stores are owned and operated by Ampol (and previously Caltex Australia), and were first launched in November 2019 as
Woolworths Metro stores.[48] The chain now has over 50 stores across Australia as of August 2023. On 28 August 2023, it was announced in the 2023 Half Year Results that all 50 Ampol Woolworths MetroGo stores will be rebranded to Foodary.[49]
Defunct
Flemings was a chain of supermarkets in Sydney and the Central Coast. On 19 May 2020, the final store in
Jannali closed and was replaced with a Woolworths Metro store.[50]
Food For Less was a discount supermarket chain located in Queensland and New South Wales. Since 2010 stores were either closed or rebranded to Woolworths, with the last store rebranded in 2018.
Safeway was the trading name of Woolworths for most of their Victorian stores until 2017 (see
§ Acquisitions).
Thomas Dux was launched in 2008 in two New South Wales locations. The stores had a larger fresh food offering than traditional Woolworths stores, along with a larger delicatessen section.[51] At its peak the chain had 11 stores. From 2014, the stores gradually closed and the chain ceased operation in late 2017. Three of the stores were retained under the "Woolworths Metro" brand; the other seven were either closed entirely or sold to other businesses. In 2021 however, the former Thomas Dux site at Black Rock, Victoria, which was retained as a "Woolworths Metro" store, was closed and is thought to be being replaced by a BWS or Dan Murphy's liquor outlet.
Caltex Woolworths, a joint venture with Ampol (previously Caltex Australia), operated service stations across Australia. Woolworths sold the operation to the
EG Group in April 2019 which has since be renamed EG Australia. Woolworths and EG entered a 15-year agreement that would maintain its fuel discount redemption across the network, and enable Woolworths Rewards points to be earned on fuel transactions across its network.[52]
Caltex Safeway operated service stations in Victoria until it was converted to Caltex Woolworths in 2008–2010.
Roelf Vos and Purity were trading names used in
Tasmania prior to being rebranded as Woolworths in 2000.
Woolworths Supermarket Liquor (including former Safeway Liquor in Victoria) was a liquor division of Woolworths with stores attached to its supermarkets, until all 475 stores were rebranded as
BWS in 2012–2013.[53][54]
Controversies
This section needs expansion. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2020)
2020 spam marketing
In July 2020, Woolworths were found guilty of breaching
spam laws in excess of 5 million times and failing to unsubscribe customers from their
mailing lists when requested to do so. The
Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) found Woolworths had unlawfully spammed more than a million customers between October 2018 and July 2019.[55] The supermarket was found to have repeatedly ignored consumers who had tried to prevent receipt of marketing emails and had not attempted to improve, despite the AMCA notifying the company that they had received customer complaints. The company was fined
$1,003,800.[55]
ACMA chairman Nerida O'Loughlin said of the violation:
In 2019, Woolworths admitted to having underpaid its employees by millions of dollars.[56]
Conversion of full format stores to Woolworths Metro stores
In 2023, Woolworths came under scrutiny for converting some of its full-size stores into the smaller
Woolworths Metro format stores. Woolworths Metro stores typically stock a lesser range of products and have a different pricing structure than the full format stores.[57] In August 2023, residents in
Alexandria protested the planned conversion of their local Woolworths to a Woolworths Metro. A petition, promoted by local community groups, gathered over 1600 signatures, with support from the
City of Sydney mayor,
Clover Moore. Despite the community feedback, Woolworths pushed through with the Metro conversion.[58][59]
Australia Day merchandise
On 10 January 2024, Woolworths Group announced that Woolworths supermarkets and
Big W would no longer be stocking
Australia Day-themed merchandise, citing declining demand and the
broader discussion about the national holiday.[60] The decision caused some controversy, with Liberal opposition leader
Peter Dutton calling for a boycott for its decision[61][62][63][64] and vandalism to two stores in Brisbane.[65][66][67]
Allegations of price gouging
Both Woolworths and competitor
Coles Supermarkets have come under scrutiny in 2023–2024 due to alleged price gouging attributed to the
duopoly in the Australian supermarket industry with the supermarket chain claiming this is an ongoing effect of the global
2021–2023 inflation.[citation needed]
CEO
Brad Banducci was interviewed on the news program
Four Corners in February 2024 and subsequently walked out mid interview but later returned after being coaxed into returning to complete the interview. He subsequently announced his intention to resign from the position in September of that year with the managing director of eCommerce and loyalty,
Amanda Bardwell set to replace Banducci as CEO.[68]
^Murray, James (1999). The Woolworths Way. A Great Australian Success Story 1924-1999. New South Wales: Focus Publishing. pp. 103–108.
ISBN1-875359-540.
Australian multinational supermarket chain owned by Woolworths Group
This article is about the Australian supermarket chain. For its parent company, see
Woolworths Group (Australia). For other retail establishments of the same name, see
Woolworth.
Woolworths Supermarkets (colloquially known in Australia as "Woolies") is an Australian chain of
supermarkets and
grocery stores owned by
Woolworths Group. Founded in 1924, Woolworths today is Australia's biggest supermarket chain with a market share of 33% as of 2019.[3]
Woolworths specialises in groceries (vegetables, fruit, meat, packaged foods, etc.), but also sells magazines, DVDs, health and beauty products, household products, pet and baby supplies, and stationery. As at June 2023, there were 995 Woolworths supermarkets and 90 Woolworths Metro
convenience stores.[1] Woolworths Online (formerly HomeShop) is a click and collect, and home delivery service for Woolworths supermarkets.
Woolworths Limited (now Woolworths Group) was founded on 22 September 1924 by five Australian entrepreneurs – Percy Christmas, Stanley Chatterton, Cecil Scott Waine, George Creed and Ernest Williams.[4] The first store was opened on 5 December 1924 in
Pitt Street of
Sydney's
Imperial Arcade, called "Woolworths Stupendous Bargain Basement".[5] Following the first store there were only 29
shareholders and there was little interest to accelerate the brand's growth. However, as trading continued and shareholders brought more capital, the dividends paid by the company increased from 5% to 50% after its third year of operation.
Consumer interest in the company grew after December 1924, as more branches of the store were established across Australia. Woolworths stores began selling a variety of goods, claiming the lowest prices as well as money back guarantees.[6] At the forefront of innovation in Australia, Woolworths stores became the first variety store in the world to install
receipt printing
cash register machines in 1926.[7]
The second Woolworths outlet was opened on 6 August 1927, on
Queen Street, Brisbane.[8] The first Woolworths store in
New Zealand was opened in 1929, but the chain has since been rebranded as
Countdown(see also
Woolworths (New Zealand supermarket chain))which in 2023, the Woolworths - Countdown rebrand was reversed. Following the opening of the
Hobart store in 1940, Woolworths had a store in every state in Australia.[9]
With the company and its stores running successfully, Woolworths began to experiment with expanding their grocery range – more stores began stocking fresh fruits and vegetables and a larger range of food. The first
self-service store in
Beverly Hills, Sydney was opened in 1955.[8] In 1958 the first supermarket was opened at
Dee Why, followed by the first purpose-built supermarket at
Warrawong Plaza in 1960.[10] As Woolworths gradually focused more on groceries, the first
Big W department store was opened in 1964 at
Jesmond, New South Wales.[11]
In 2018, Woolworths Group stopped providing
single-useplastic bags during checkout at the same time as
Coles Supermarkets, bringing them in line with Australia's third-biggest supermarket,
Aldi.[12] In the following three months, Australian's plastic bag use dropped by 80%, leading to 1.5 billion fewer bags going to landfill.[13] Woolworths also committed to removing 180 tonnes of plastic packaging from their products in 2018.[14]
In September 2021, Woolworths launched an online marketplace called Everyday Market. The marketplace allows customers to purchase products from partnered companies, including products not normally sold in the supermarket.[15]
In May 2023, Woolworths acquired
Milkrun, a fast grocery delivery startup which ceased operations the previous month and competed with the supermarket's Metro60 delivery service. Woolworths rebranded Metro60 as Milkrun.[16][17]
Acquisitions
In 1982, Woolworths Limited acquired two Tasmanian grocery brands:
Roelf Vos and
Purity, which were converted into Woolworths stores in 2000.
In 1958 Woolworths Limited acquired all 32 Brisbane Cash & Carry stores, which was a popular Brisbane grocery store chain. These were then later rebranded as Woolworths stores.[18]
After the arrival of American supermarket giant
Safeway in Australia in 1962,
Safeway Australia was bought by Woolworths in 1985. Woolworths Limited acquired all of the Safeway stores and the naming rights in exchange for a 20% equity interest in Woolworths Limited.[19][20] At the time of the acquisition, Safeway had 126 stores across
Victoria,
Queensland and
New South Wales.[21] All Safeway stores in Queensland and New South Wales were rebranded as Woolworths supermarkets, but most Victorian stores continued trading as Safeway.[22] In 2008, Woolworths announced it would rebrand Safeway stores as Woolworths, and this process was completed in June 2017.[23]
Slogan
In 1987, Woolworths launched the "Fresh Food People" campaign after implementing new company protocols for their fresh food departments.[8] The slogan changed slightly in 2012 to "Australia's Fresh Food People" to promote the fact that 96% of fresh produce sold in Woolworths supermarkets is grown in Australia.[24] In 2014 the original "The Fresh Food People" slogan returned with a new lineup of television commercials. Various other catchphrases have been used in recent advertisements, including "That's Today's Fresh Food People", and "Get Your Woolies Worth."
Loyalty schemes
Loyalty schemes include a number of incentives for purchasing at their stores by subsidising petrol prices at
Caltex Woolworths petrol stations and the now defunct Woolworths Plus Petrol. Discounts included 2-cent, 4-cent, 6-cent and in some regional areas 10-cent discounts on fuel, rewarded for purchases over certain amounts.
In September 2007, Woolworths began a trial in central-west New South Wales of
Everyday Rewards, a Woolworths shopping card that automatically tracks supermarket purchases and fuel discounts, thus eliminating the need for shoppers to retain paper coupons.[25] In addition it allows Woolworths to record purchases made by customers to offer them relevant promotions and for studies in demographics and marketing,[26] hence incentives for customers who register their details.
In February 2008, following the New South Wales trial, Woolworths announced that its Everyday Rewards card would be rolled out nationally. The implementation began with South Australia and Northern Territory in mid-February 2008, and to other states (excluding Tasmania)[27] by the end of May 2008.[28] In August 2009, Woolworths announced that there were 3.8 million cards registered, of which 1.2 million were linked to a Qantas Frequent Flyer account.[29]
Frequent Shopper Club
The Frequent Shopper Club, stylised as F$C, was a reward program for shopping in Woolworths stores in
Tasmania. It was started by Purity Supermarkets in 1992, and was in use until January 2021.[30][31] In July 2020, Woolworths announced that the program would be folded into the Everyday Rewards program.[32]
Credit card
In 2007, Woolworths announced that it was planning to launch a general purpose credit card in 2008.[33] Woolworths offered these credit card holders reward vouchers redeemable throughout its store network.[34] Woolworths subsequently announced that the Woolworths Everyday Money MasterCard would be launched on 26 August 2008, allowing customers to earn shopping cards redeemable at Woolworths Group retailers.[35][36]
A budget label covering everyday household products and groceries. Products within this range typically feature a red and white Woolworths logo on the top left corner on the front side of the packaging.[37]
Woolworths Food Range
Woolworths' most populous own brand range, it features food lines in all categories across the store. Products in this range feature a green and white logo. Customer can become part of a food sampling group called "Bunch" in order to test foods within this range and provide feedback to make improvements.[38]
Gold
This own brand features premium products which are usually only available around Christmas time, and include products such as Christmas puddings, fruit mince pies and cakes.[39]
Macro Wholefoods Market
Macro features a range of foods that are free from artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours, added MSG and hydrogenated oils. Many products in this range are promoted as organic foods.[40] The brand was acquired by Woolworths in 2009, along with nine store leases in New South Wales and Victoria originally intended for use by its
Thomas Dux business. As a result of the ceasing of operations of Thomas Dux in 2017 only two of the former Macro Wholefoods sites are still leased by Woolworths, from 2017 being used as Woolworths Metro supermarkets. However, in 2021 one of the sites, in Black Rock, Victoria, was closed and is thought to be being replaced by a
BWS or
Dan Murphy's liquor outlet. Despite the closure of the sites, the brand is still sold in Woolworths supermarkets today.[41]
Delicious Nutritious
This range is a collaboration between Woolworths and Australian personal trainer
Michelle Bridges. The range is exclusively chilled and frozen meals, all of which include 2–3 serves of vegetables, grains and protein, and are all under 450 calories per serve.[42]
The Odd Bunch
This is a fresh produce brand which features fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, lemons and apples, that are oddly shaped or are otherwise imperfect. These products are sold at a cheaper price as a compromise to this.[43]
Woolworths NZ is the trading name in
New Zealand. Woolworths also operated supermarket brands
Foodtown and
Woolworths until November 2011, which were rebranded as Countdown. On 18 July 2023, it was announced by Woolworths Group that Countdown will be rebranded Woolworths from early 2024.[45]
Woolworths Metro is a chain of small format grocery stores launched in 2013. The first store opened in Sydney, and the chain now has over 90 stores across Australia as of August 2023. Three of them are former
Thomas Dux stores, while others are mostly placed within
central business districts.
Ampol Woolworths MetroGo is a chain of smaller Woolworths Metro convenience stores launched in March 2022, and are found exclusively in some
Ampol service stations.[46][47] These stores are owned and operated by Ampol (and previously Caltex Australia), and were first launched in November 2019 as
Woolworths Metro stores.[48] The chain now has over 50 stores across Australia as of August 2023. On 28 August 2023, it was announced in the 2023 Half Year Results that all 50 Ampol Woolworths MetroGo stores will be rebranded to Foodary.[49]
Defunct
Flemings was a chain of supermarkets in Sydney and the Central Coast. On 19 May 2020, the final store in
Jannali closed and was replaced with a Woolworths Metro store.[50]
Food For Less was a discount supermarket chain located in Queensland and New South Wales. Since 2010 stores were either closed or rebranded to Woolworths, with the last store rebranded in 2018.
Safeway was the trading name of Woolworths for most of their Victorian stores until 2017 (see
§ Acquisitions).
Thomas Dux was launched in 2008 in two New South Wales locations. The stores had a larger fresh food offering than traditional Woolworths stores, along with a larger delicatessen section.[51] At its peak the chain had 11 stores. From 2014, the stores gradually closed and the chain ceased operation in late 2017. Three of the stores were retained under the "Woolworths Metro" brand; the other seven were either closed entirely or sold to other businesses. In 2021 however, the former Thomas Dux site at Black Rock, Victoria, which was retained as a "Woolworths Metro" store, was closed and is thought to be being replaced by a BWS or Dan Murphy's liquor outlet.
Caltex Woolworths, a joint venture with Ampol (previously Caltex Australia), operated service stations across Australia. Woolworths sold the operation to the
EG Group in April 2019 which has since be renamed EG Australia. Woolworths and EG entered a 15-year agreement that would maintain its fuel discount redemption across the network, and enable Woolworths Rewards points to be earned on fuel transactions across its network.[52]
Caltex Safeway operated service stations in Victoria until it was converted to Caltex Woolworths in 2008–2010.
Roelf Vos and Purity were trading names used in
Tasmania prior to being rebranded as Woolworths in 2000.
Woolworths Supermarket Liquor (including former Safeway Liquor in Victoria) was a liquor division of Woolworths with stores attached to its supermarkets, until all 475 stores were rebranded as
BWS in 2012–2013.[53][54]
Controversies
This section needs expansion. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2020)
2020 spam marketing
In July 2020, Woolworths were found guilty of breaching
spam laws in excess of 5 million times and failing to unsubscribe customers from their
mailing lists when requested to do so. The
Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) found Woolworths had unlawfully spammed more than a million customers between October 2018 and July 2019.[55] The supermarket was found to have repeatedly ignored consumers who had tried to prevent receipt of marketing emails and had not attempted to improve, despite the AMCA notifying the company that they had received customer complaints. The company was fined
$1,003,800.[55]
ACMA chairman Nerida O'Loughlin said of the violation:
In 2019, Woolworths admitted to having underpaid its employees by millions of dollars.[56]
Conversion of full format stores to Woolworths Metro stores
In 2023, Woolworths came under scrutiny for converting some of its full-size stores into the smaller
Woolworths Metro format stores. Woolworths Metro stores typically stock a lesser range of products and have a different pricing structure than the full format stores.[57] In August 2023, residents in
Alexandria protested the planned conversion of their local Woolworths to a Woolworths Metro. A petition, promoted by local community groups, gathered over 1600 signatures, with support from the
City of Sydney mayor,
Clover Moore. Despite the community feedback, Woolworths pushed through with the Metro conversion.[58][59]
Australia Day merchandise
On 10 January 2024, Woolworths Group announced that Woolworths supermarkets and
Big W would no longer be stocking
Australia Day-themed merchandise, citing declining demand and the
broader discussion about the national holiday.[60] The decision caused some controversy, with Liberal opposition leader
Peter Dutton calling for a boycott for its decision[61][62][63][64] and vandalism to two stores in Brisbane.[65][66][67]
Allegations of price gouging
Both Woolworths and competitor
Coles Supermarkets have come under scrutiny in 2023–2024 due to alleged price gouging attributed to the
duopoly in the Australian supermarket industry with the supermarket chain claiming this is an ongoing effect of the global
2021–2023 inflation.[citation needed]
CEO
Brad Banducci was interviewed on the news program
Four Corners in February 2024 and subsequently walked out mid interview but later returned after being coaxed into returning to complete the interview. He subsequently announced his intention to resign from the position in September of that year with the managing director of eCommerce and loyalty,
Amanda Bardwell set to replace Banducci as CEO.[68]
^Murray, James (1999). The Woolworths Way. A Great Australian Success Story 1924-1999. New South Wales: Focus Publishing. pp. 103–108.
ISBN1-875359-540.