Coles big changes to click and collect and online ordering of groceries

Hundreds of stores are expected to undergo major changes, which could make grabbing your groceries much quicker.

Coles has revealed plans to make shopping a much quicker and easier experience for Aussies, by allowing them to order online and pick up their groceries in just 90 minutes.

It also unveiled plans to convert 300 service desks to free up employees to meet people driving in to pick up their click and collect orders. Coles staff would then pack groceries into their car boot.

A Coles spokeswoman said the retail giant now had 18 drive-throughs operating nationally for collecting online orders, including five in NSW, nine in Queensland, four in Western Australia and two in South Australia.

Same-day home delivery will also become available in over 400 stores, according to Coles’ market update, while the supermarket giant said it had delivered customers increased product life by reducing store order lead times by 20 million days.

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Coles is going to convert service desks so staff can meet click and collect demands. Picture: Brendan Radke

The retailer also spoke about the opening of three dark stores for home delivery liquor, meaning they had no visible shopfront, which could further be rolled out.

While e-commerce had contributed $1 billion of sales revenue for the period with 5.9 per cent of its supermarkets penetrating into the space, it admitted that sales across the group had been hit by Aussies working from home.

Millions of Aussies were choosing to shop locally, but the retailer’s lack of neighbourhood stores and its concentration in shopping centres and metro areas, saw its market share decline to 26.4 per cent in the second quarter of the financial year.

This compared to the third quarter of the 2020 financial year, where it boasted a market share of 27.7 per cent.

Coles said it had increased its own brand products to contribute to 32 per cent of goods available in store and was planning to introduce a tiered own brand offering to lower the price of shopping in the future.

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Coles’ new convenience meal ranges made is now worth $350 million. Picture: News Corp Australia

The supermarket giant also wanted to focus on locally relevant and unique offers as part of future ranges, like its partnerships with Boost, Tremila Pizza and Sushi Sushi.

Last year, it launched its biggest-ever range of homestyle convenience meals, including under its new brand Coles Kitchen, with the brand now worth $350 million, the market update said.

It also flagged significant financial investment in technology and automation across the group to respond to the growing demand for online orders, as well as introducing a fully integrated transport management system.

Existing click and collect drive-throughs:

Western Australia – Galleria, Balcatta, Orana, Brabham

South Australia – Parkholme, Greenacres

NSW – Roselands, Dubbo, Swansea, Armidale, Lismore, Narellan

Queensland – Glenvale, Robina, Toowong, Browns Plains, Chermside, Cairns Smithfield, Cairns Central