Coles is launching coles&co – which it describes as a brand-new experience that will offer the “very best” specials alongside exclusive content to inspire customers with new products, tips, and recipes – this Thursday.
“With COVID-19, we’ve really seen a shift to online shopping in the last few months, as lots of our customers try our contactless home delivery and Click&Collect services for the first time,” says Coles Group CEO Steven Cain.
“We’ve also seen an increase of more than 50% in readership for our digital catalogue since March.
“We are living at a time of unprecedented societal change, including a surge in the diversity of consumer tastes and dietary needs.
“As customers add more fresh food to their diet they’re shopping more often, and their appetite for immediacy and digital information means a weekly, one-size-fits-all catalogue in their letterbox is no longer as relevant for them as it once was.
“We’re using our digital capabilities to replace it with something more personalised. As we add new features, this could include recipes that change daily rather than weekly, as well as tailored content on food and drink trends.
“We will be investing more in digital content and capability for customers and suppliers, as well as better value by lowering the cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner, and improving our sustainability by reducing our reliance on paper.”
Coles&co features “shoppable specials”, allowing customers to shop straight from the screen.
“Just tap on a product to add it to your basket,” says the retailer, “and then check out via our online shopping services – or save it as a shopping list to take with you when shopping in-store.”
Coles chefs and other contributors, including “customer favourite” Curtis Stone, are set to provide new content every day, including tips and tricks on how to make the most of in-season fruit and veggies, and recipes for quick, simple and “healthy” meals to help customers eat better while saving money.
Prioritising digital channels
From 9 September, Coles will no longer deliver printed catalogues to letterboxes.
“Since 2000 we have delivered around 200 billion pages of weekly catalogues to letterboxes across Australia,” says Mr Cain.
Ceasing the delivery of printed catalogues, according to Mr Cain, is expected save over 10,000 tonnes of paper every year – the equivalent of an estimated 80,000 trees.
“We’re committed to being Australia’s most sustainable supermarket and reducing our reliance on paper by prioritising digital channels like coles&co is a significant step towards that goal,” says Mr Cain.
A “significantly” reduced volume of printed weekly catalogues will continue to be available in store.