ALDI’s weekly catalogue reach surpassed that for Coles and Woolworths in 2016, although the big two were more successful in converting readers into shoppers, according to a Roy Morgan Research study.
The study indicated that in an average week during 2016, 5.1 million Australians (aged 14-plus) read or looked into an ALDI catalogue. Coles reached 4.9 million Australians and Woolworths reached Woolworths 4.8 million.
Readership of ALDI catalogues has now grown for three consecutive years, up 28 per cent over the period from four million Australians a week in 2013.
Like the supermarkets themselves, Coles and Woolworths catalogues remain locked in a tight race: Woolworths had the edge in 2013 with 179,000 more readers; in 2014 both catalogues grew (but Coles grew more) to end in a virtual tie at just over 5.1 million readers each; Coles first claimed its slim lead in 2015 while Woolworths held steady; but both grocery giants fell back below the five-million mark last year, opening the door for an ALDI win.
IGA’s catalogues also gained readers from 2013 to 2015, but declined in 2016. Of the four big supermarket chains, only IGA is now reaching fewer readers per average week than it did in 2013.
Roy Morgan Research also found that Woolworths and Coles are the clear winners when it comes to converting readers into shoppers. Fifty-two per cent of Woolworths’ catalogue reach leads to a sale (up from 48 per cent in 2013), just ahead of 50 per cent for Coles (up from 46 per cent).
ALDI’s reader-to-shopper conversion rate is unchanged over the period at 38 per cent, while IGA’s has grown from 36 to 37 per cent.