Woolworths Shopping Group

One of the major Australian Supermarkets is Woolworths’, which is part of the Woolworths’ Australia group.

As at July 2009, Woolworths’ held 31% of the Australian Grocery market, while its main competitor, Coles, held 23%. In 1998 those figures were Woolworths’ 20.0% and Coles 17.3%.

Both market shares appear to risen in the last ten years, with Woolworths’ increasing by 55% and Coles 33%.

2009: Woolworths gets about 31 percent of all take-home food and grocery sales in Australia while Coles has 23 percent, according to the nation’s antitrust regulator. In packaged groceries, which excludes fresh produce, the two companies control almost 80 percent of the market.
www.freshplaza.com

1998: Table 4.2
Major chain grocery retail market shares (all food and grocery spending) 1997/98
Woolworths 20.0 per cent, Coles 17.3 per cent, Franklins 5.8 per cent.
www.aph.gov.au

Woolworths is Australia’s largest retailer with over 180,000 employees and almost 3,000 stores. 802 of these are the Woolworths’ and Safeway Supermarkets.

In 2007, Woolworths and the British supermarket Tesco were reported to be in discussions to buy the Coles supermarket stores.

A story in the Australian on April 26, 2007, began with this:

WOOLWORTHS is considering teaming up with British retail giant Tesco to make a joint bid for Coles Group that could blow Wesfarmers’ $20 billion offer out of the water.

Sources close to the Woolworths camp yesterday indicated that the company [Coles] was moving away from a mooted partnership with a consortium led by US buyout group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and towards Tesco.

The end result though, was that it did not happen.

Other stores in the Woolworth group include:

Supermarkets:

• www.woolworths.com.au – Woolworths Supermarkets
• Safeway Supermarkets (Victoria)
• Flemings
• www.thomasdux.com.au – Thomas Dux Grocer
• www.homeshop.com.au – Woolworths Online Homeshop

Alcohol:

• www.beerwinespirits.com.au – BWS Beer and Wine
• www.danmurphys.com.au – Dan Murphys Beer and Wine
• Woolworths Liquor (Mac’s Liquor)
• Safeway liquor

Office Supplies and Computers:

• www.dicksmith.com.au – Dick Smith Electronics
• Dick Smith Powerhouse
• www.tandy.com.au – Tandy Electronics

Household, Hardware and Gardening:

• www.bigw.com.au – Big W

Auto:

• www.woolworthspetrol.com.au – Woolworths Petrol
• Safeway petrol
• Caltex petrol

Medical:

• Pharmacy Direct

Finance:

• Everyday Money Credit card
• www.everydayrewards.com.au – Everyday Rewards loyalty card linked to Frequent Flyers.