Supermarket giant Coles Group is aiming to maintain its “early momentum” into the 2025–26 financial year by focusing on providing value to its customers. According to chief executive Leah Weckert, the company had a solid first quarter. Weckert made the comments in a speech lodged with the ASX before the Coles annual meeting. Coles Group is a major Australian retailer operating supermarkets, liquor stores, and convenience stores. The company aims to provide everyday value to Australians.
Weckert reinforced Coles’ commitment to improving value, quality, and customer experience throughout the remainder of the financial year. She also highlighted the company’s efforts to address rising violence and aggression against frontline workers in the retail industry, stating that Coles is “actively working to reduce threatening situations” for its employees.
Coles has outperformed rival Woolworths, with supermarket sales increasing by 7 per cent during the September quarter, excluding tobacco sales, which fell 5.7 per cent. The growth was attributed to lower prices, improved product availability, and expansion in online channels.
Overall, including tobacco sales, Coles’ sales grew by 4.8 per cent to approximately $10 billion. This compares favorably to the 2.1 per cent sales growth reported by Woolworths for the same period, solidifying Coles’ position in the competitive supermarket landscape.
