Coles drives prices down with baby products, releases new eco-friendly baby range

Coles is going to war in a new battleground to help families who want to go green without a hefty price tag. See what’s on the list.

Coles is going to war with its rival supermarkets in a new battleground - baby products.

The supermarket is slashing prices of products including nappies by up to 50 per cent and has more than 150 new items arriving in stores on Thursday.

The new items — which include reusable nappies and bamboo feeding accessories — are aimed at Australian families who want to reduce their environmental impact without a hefty price tag.

Coles’ existing budget-friendly baby range CUB has been extended to include the new environmentally friendly CUB BARE range, which features baby wipes and nappies made from plant-based materials.

Products from the new CUB Bare range from Coles.

Coles General Manager for Own Brand Brad Cook said the new range would help cater to “the growing number of customers seeking more sustainable baby products without compromising on convenience and price”.

“The range features nappies made from at least 55 per cent plant-based materials with highly absorbent cores containing wood pulp sourced from sustainably managed forests,” he said.

“The CUB BARE wipes are made with biodegradable bamboo fibre and with oatmeal extract to help soothe and clean babies’ delicate skin.”

To kick off the new CUB BARE range, Coles is offering up to 50 per cent off popular brands and products, including Huggies, and launching 150 new products including big ticket items in the limited edition Coles Best Buys baby range.

Coles is upping the baby wars with rival Woolworths with environmentally friendly reusable nappies and toilet training briefs.

Among the new products are the Nat Baby reusable nappies at $15 each. Available also in toilet training and swim nappies, the non-toxic and easily washable nappies remove the need for the endless waste of disposables.

A new range of Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol bottles, plates and lunch containers will also be on sale from $5 each.

“This is a great way we can provide more value and convenience to our customers when trying to manage the weekly shopping budget for their growing family,” Mr Cook said.

The supermarket is also selling its Huggies nappies at a hugely discounted price, which means nappies across their CUB Bare range and Huggies range will cost less than $1.

Professor Gary Mortimer, retail expert from the Queensland University of Technology, said the move by Coles was a sign of how supermarket private label brands were “splintering” as retail giants targeted specific groups.

The products will appeal to families who are concerned about sustainability and waste.

“What we’re seeing is a splintering of that private label, supermarket brand range – a sense of good, better or best alternatives,” he said.

“Private label supermarket brands have notoriously been considered the cheap and nasty alternatives to the branded products.

“Over the last several years, supermarkets have invested millions of dollars on improving the standards and the quality of those private label products.

“I think what we’re now seeing is a further splintering, looking at segmenting markets of consumers and targeting specific products at those groups.

“So, in the case of baby needs, there will certainly be a cheap and cheerful ‘good’ option, there’ll be a better Coles private label product. and of course, a more quality up-market products.

“This product obviously resonates with consumers that are environmentally aware and focused on sustainability and waste.”

Originally published as Coles drives prices down with baby products, releases new eco-friendly baby range