Latest news with #Woolworths
Zawya
5 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Food, convenience and loyalty redefine South Africa's fuel stops
As fuel volumes decline and competition intensifies, South Africa's forecourt retailers are shifting their focus beyond the pump toward food, convenience, and partnerships that drive loyalty and spending. Trade Intelligence's latest Forecourt Retail Report sheds light on a channel under pressure, yet actively adapting. Forecourts are evolving into dynamic convenience hubs, embracing partnerships and diversified services to preserve margins and unlock new growth. The fuel that once defined the forecourt is no longer enough to sustain it. Beyond the pump: understanding foot traffic dynamics While fuel volumes have declined by 6.3% over the past year, the number of South African forecourts has grown by +12% over five years. This increased competition, coupled with the increasing dependency on alternate revenues (due to declining fuel sales), creates an environment where the battle for shopper footfall has become the defining challenge – and opportunity – for fuel retailers. To attract shoppers, forecourt operators are investing in three key levers: - Retail partnerships with supermarket brands - Loyalty programmes, often linked to financial or retail partners - Value-added services, from fast-food outlets to parcel lockers and app-based deliveries 1. Retailer partnerships: footfall through familiarity Retailer partnerships are now a hallmark of the forecourt experience. From Woolworths Foodstops at Engen to Pick n Pay Express at bp and FreshStop at Astron Energy, 849 forecourts now host supermarket-branded stores, a +26% increase over five years. Trade Intelligence research shows that forecourt shoppers have a clear preference for supermarket-branded stores over fuel-branded ones, seeking the familiarity and quality offered by established retail brands. 2. Loyalty pogrammes: driving traffic through rewards Fuel providers are increasingly tapping into the power of loyalty programmes. Most major players, Shell, Sasol, Astron Energy, TotalEnergies and bpSA, run their own rewards programmes. At the same time, they are integrating with established retailer and financial institution loyalty ecosystems. Examples include earning Clicks ClubCard points when filling up at Engen, or fuel cashback via Discovery at bp and Shell. The impact is measurable: the Standard Bank UCount partnership with Astron/Caltex, which offers up to R10 per litre cashback, resulted in an +83% increase in customer traffic to Astron Energy versus competitors. 'This demonstrates how well-executed loyalty initiatives can influence forecourt choice,' says Andrea Slabber, insights lead at Trade Intelligence. 'These collaborations are strategic levers to attract footfall by tapping into an existing loyalty base to draw that spend onto their site.' 3. A broader offering: fueling convenience From quick-service restaurants (QSRs) to mini-supermarkets and parcel collection points, forecourts are expanding their role in everyday convenience. The integration of diverse offerings is creating one-stop destinations that resonate with today's time-pressed shoppers. Notable examples include: - Seattle and Vida e Caffè counters inside Astron Energy forecourts - KFC and Pedro's drive-throughs at Shell and bp stations - Pargo pick-up points and Pudo lockers for parcel collection - bpSA's planned rollout of 40 new sites featuring services like licence disk renewals and battery rentals These offerings tap into convenience shoppers' needs, deepening relevance and increasing footfall beyond the fuel tank. Convenience sales rise as fuel margins are squeezed The numbers tell a compelling story. While fuel sales still account for most forecourt revenue in SA, they fell by 4.2% in 2024. Convenience store sales, meanwhile, increased by +4.0%. In the US, although non-fuel categories contribute only 30–40% of forecourt sales, they deliver 60% of gross profit – emphasising the growing importance of non-fuel revenues. The South African consumer's relationship with forecourts is shifting from a pure fuel stop to a desire for convenient, on-the-go solutions. A remarkable 75% of forecourt shoppers surveyed by Trade Intelligence in June 2025 said that they intend to maintain or increase their visits, highlighting the rising relevance of forecourt convenience. The message is clear: the shop matters. Speedy shoppers The average forecourt shopper spends just 3.5 minutes in-store. This incredibly tight window underscores the importance of strategic merchandising. Stocking the right range, clear category layout, impulse-ready positioning, and fast-moving combo offers all play a role. Traditionally seen as more expensive, forecourt stores are starting to shift away from 'convenience surcharges' toward value promotions and regular deals. Combo offers on coffee and pies, daypart-based energy drink discounts, and creative cross-merchandising are all attempts to increase basket size. Getting this right requires tight collaboration between suppliers and retailers – at both national and store level – to ensure the right range, price points, and promotions are in place to meet shopper expectations. Small format, big potential South Africa's forecourt retail sector is at an exciting juncture. With the right combination of retail partnerships, shopper insight, and execution focus, forecourts are well-positioned to evolve into full-fledged convenience hubs – designed to meet today's shopper expectations and to unlock tomorrow's growth. The Forecourt Retail Report is available for download.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Worrying impact of common ingredient in $2 snack loved by Aussies
Instant noodles are a popular snack food in Australia and around the world, with approximately 100 billion serves consumed each year. But experts are warning about one key ingredient that is not only bad for your body, its production is having a disturbing impact on the planet. A staggering 10 to 20 per cent of the volume of most instant noodles brands is palm oil, which is used in the process of flash-frying. To satisfy our hunger for this single ingredient, over the last 60 years, old-growth forests across South East Asia and the Pacific have been bulldozed and burned at an unprecedented rate to make way for plantations to grow the crop. The product, which is often disguised on ingredients lists as vegetable oil or palm kernel, has also been linked to human rights and worker abuses, as well as air pollution. Around 50 per cent of packaged foods and 70 per cent of cosmetics and soaps are estimated to contain it, but instant noodles contain more palm oil by weight than any other product on the market. In Australia, they're particularly popular with students and anyone else struggling with the cost of living, and brands like NongShim are so cheap, you can buy a pack for less than $2 at Coles or Woolworths. Sustainability experts aren't trying to stop people buying them, they're just trying to change the way they're produced. And they think consumer pressure is important. Related: 🥫 Popular grocery items linked to image of orangutan cruelty Are forests still being destroyed for palm oil? Greenpeace's team in Indonesia argues that instant noodles 'have their place' but the palm oil production industry 'needs to do much better.' 'Clearing for oil palm plantations has been the largest single cause of deforestation in Indonesia since the turn of the century,' its global head of Indonesia's forest campaign, Kiki Taufik, told Yahoo News from Jakarta. Greenpeace analysis shows how problematic its production is, with illegal oil palm plantations in Indonesia occupying 183,687 hectares of land previously mapped as orangutan habitat, and 148,839 hectares of Sumatran tiger habitat. Over 30 per cent of Borneo's forest was destroyed between the early 1970s and the mid-2010s, with palm oil production a major driver. Deforestation for palm oil production is believed to have peaked in the late 2000s. And while that's good news, a major front of concern is rapidly emerging. 'A worrying new deforestation hotspot is West Papua — the island of New Guinea has the greatest plant diversity in the world and plays a major role in protecting the global climate. Companies are grabbing Indigenous Peoples' forest land there, not only for palm oil, but also for sugar plantations,' Taufik said. What consumers don't realise is that if they take a flight from say, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta, they will see a green cover before you're landing, and that's not forest, it's monoculture crops. If you replace tropical forest with monoculture, the biggest ones who suffer is the Seth, WWF Are all instant noodle brands the same? The world's top five manufacturers of instant noodles are Nissin from Japan, Indofood from Indonesia, Master Kong from Taiwan, Nestle from Switzerland, and Otoki and NongShim from South Korea. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is concerned that only two of these brands, Nissin and Nestle, are 'transparently reporting' what percentage of palm oil in their instant noodles is certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a group it helped set up to reduce the environmental harm caused by farming of the product, and help consumers avoid products linked to recent deforestation. WWF Singapore's Kamal Seth, the organisation's global palm oil lead, argues that using RSPO-certified oil would cost shoppers very little. 'As an example, let's say a cup noodle costs one dollar, the price would become one dollar and one cent at the consumer level,' he told Yahoo. 'The issue is that consumers are not even aware that their instant noodles contain palm oil. If they were made aware, they would be willing to pay one cent extra, provided the company is telling them they're buying sustainably.' While the RSPO certification scheme has been plagued by multiple controversies about its effectiveness, both Greenpeace and WWF argue it's the 'best option' right now, and consumers should look for it on packaging. 'Besides RSPO, there is no other global independent mechanism that is more credible… We continue to back it because we want RSPO to become even more effective than what it is right now,' Seth said. Other names for palm oil Here are just five ingredients that are often derived from palm oil, although there are dozens more. Glyceryl Sodium laureth sulphate Stearic acid Palm fruit oil Palmate Who eats the most instant noodles? Seth doesn't think demand for instant noodles will decrease because they are affordable, and important to the food security of millions of people. Seth's focus is on reforming the sustainability of production in the world's largest instant noodle markets which are in China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and India. And increasingly, he doesn't think the middle-class populations of these countries would mind paying slightly more for an assurance that their noodles aren't destroying the habitat of tigers, elephants, orangutans and rhinos. Noodle companies respond to palm oil concerns Responding to questions from Yahoo, Nestle said in 2024, 100 per cent of its palm oil was RSPO-certified, or from 'equivalent' sources. 'For more than 10 years, we have been using a combination of tools, including supply chain mapping, certification, satellite monitoring and on-the-ground assessments, to assess and address deforestation risks in our supply chains and improve our understanding of human rights and land rights risks,' it said. Incredible phone footage leads to rediscovery of lost species Australia called out for 'failing' two rare species Travellers warned of hidden health risk on popular holiday island Indofood, which makes the popular Indomie brand, said it takes its 'environmental responsibilities very seriously' and that its palm oil is accredited by Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO), a mandatory accreditation scheme introduced by the government. It was keen to note changes in its production, claiming that 89 per cent of its oil palm estates were certified as sustainable under the ISPO scheme. It said it was committed to no degradation of forest deemed to have High Conservation Value — home to threatened species, Indigenous populations, or riparian zones — and it was not destroying primary forests, also known as old-growth forests. To prevent this from occurring, it places warning signs and boundary pits around them and conducts patrols. Nissin, Master Kong, Otoki and NongShim did not immediately respond to questions from Yahoo. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
7NEWS
10 hours ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
Celebrations chocolate in big return just months after being pulled from Australian shelves
An Australian-favourite chocolate variety box will return to supermarket shelves, just months after it was discontinued. Cost and supply challenges were blamed when it was announced in November that Celebrations would no longer be available in Australia. The decision left social media in shock and customers scrambling to source a box from quickly dwindling supply. But people power is now being credited with the comeback of the Mars-branded confectionary product. 'The consumer response demanding the return of Celebrations last year was incredible so we are thrilled to bring Celebrations back to supermarket shelves around the country,' Mars Wrigley spokesperson Ben Hill said. 'For decades, Celebrations has featured prominently at family gatherings, events and of course, celebrations of all kinds. 'We can't wait for everyone to enjoy them again and for hopefully many years to come.' Prices for the boxes — which include Snickers, Mars, Bounty, Milky Way, Maltesers, Galaxy and Galaxy Caramel — will start at $16. They will be available in Woolworths from next week and Coles will have them in August. The websites for the supermarket giants currently show the products are 'currently unavailable' and 'out of stock'. Kmart already has them available to buy online. Popular food reviewer Russ Eats, who previously ranked Celebrations as the best Christmas chocolate, shared news of the return with his followers. '(The packaging says) 'Australia has spoken' so I'd like to think we (the public) brought them back but I do think there was some problems and they were going to come back anyway,' he said. 'I can confirm (the chocolates) taste the same.' One person described the update as a 'Christmas miracle'. The backflip comes after cost and supply challenges were blamed for the chocolate box being pulled from shelves late last year. 'Our Celebrations products were imported from Europe and, like many Australian businesses importing products from overseas, we're experiencing rising cost pressures and supply challenges,' a Mars spokesperson said at the time. 'Late last year (in 2023), we made the difficult decision to discontinue the Celebrations brand in Australia.' The mixed chocolate boxes have been a popular staple of special occasions since launching in 1997.
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Sneaky tactic Woolworths and Coles use to make you spend more at the checkout
A British expat has claimed Coles and Woolworths deliberately play 'banging music' in supermarkets so customers spend more on groceries. Gemma Penn made the claim while comparing the differences between Australian and UK supermarkets. 'They've always got banging music in Australia whether it's Woolworths or Coles,' she said in a TikTok video. Ms Penn liked that she could listen to the Spice Girls and British act Jamelia while shopping. She theorised the pop anthems and dance tracks were making her spend more money. One social media user claimed 'Pump It Up', by pop musician Endor, was played at Woolworths every day at 3pm for that reason. Deakin University's Professor of Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Paul Harrison told Daily Mail Australia that shoppers needed to remember that the big supermarkets were moneymaking businesses and weren't there to look after shoppers. 'When they say things like they're making things better for you, it benefits them,' he said. 'Music puts us in a good mood to treat ourselves and puts us in a frame of mind where we feel safe. 'We find it hard to resist underlying vices. More upbeat music does get people to spend more on premium items.' Mr Harrison said if a store played sophisticated music, shoppers were more likely to be drawn towards buying 'the more sophisticated version of a brand'. He also said retailers wanted people in and out within 20 minutes, and the faster music helped achieve that target as people generally spent more per minute. Mr Harrison said a 20-minute shop with fast music encouraged people to buy items they may have been normally resistant to. In March, an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) inquiry into the Australian grocery sector found Coles and Woolworths were among the most profitable supermarkets in the world. The inquiry found they used promotions to make it harder for customers to judge whether they were getting a good deal or not. Woolworths customers who sign up to the Everyday Rewards program are offered deals and specials, and even get a $10 voucher for every $2,000 they spend in store. 'It's not much of a reward, but people like to feel like they're getting something,' Mr Harrison said. A Woolworths spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: 'We play music in our stores to make our customers' shopping experience more enjoyable.' 'The music that our customers hear in store is from a vast range of genres and eras to cater for the wide taste of our customers and team members, with a particular emphasis on supporting Australian artists,' he said.
Sky News AU
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Expat exposes the one major difference between supermarkets in Australia and the UK that makes Aussies 'spend more' at the register
An expat has identified one major difference between supermarkets in Australia and those in the UK that makes shoppers Down Under "spend more". Gemma Penn recently took to TikTok to point out supermarkets Down Under always have "banging music, whether it's Coles or Woolworths." In a video taken while shopping, she expressed surprise at having heard British singer Jamelia and the Spice Girls while browsing the store aisles. For most Australians, dance music is just background noise that people have become accustomed to hearing while doing their grocery shopping. However, Gemma, who is still getting used to the novelty, said the pop anthems and dance tracks are "for sure" making her spend more money. One viewer took to the comments to say the tunes, like pop musician Endor's 'Pump It Up', which Woolies plays every day at 3 pm, are merely a "subtle mind game" to make shoppers reach deeper into their pockets. Deakin University's Professor of Consumer Behaviour and Marketing, Paul Harrison, weighed in on whether music really does influence spending. "At a basic level, what we know is that faster music means that people move through shops faster," Mr Harrison told Yahoo Lifestyle. "The one thing that they have found is that more upbeat music does get people to spend more on premium items. "So, an example might be, if you're in a supermarket and you hear sophisticated music, you're more likely to be drawn towards buying the more sophisticated version of a brand." Mr Harrison referenced research from one of his students a couple of years ago, which found there is an ideal "Goldilocks moment" in-store. He said retailers want people in and out within "about 20 minutes", and the faster music helps achieve that magic target, in which people spend more dollars per minute than if they were to stay for 30, 40 or 50 minutes. Mr Harrison said the 20-minute time frame doesn't, however, actually push people to stretch their budget beyond capacity. Rather, it encourages people to buy items within their means that they may have been otherwise resistant to add to the cart. It comes as an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry into the Australian grocery sector in March found Coles and Woolworths are among the most profitable supermarket businesses in the world. The inquiry found supermarket giants are using promotions to make it harder for customers to judge whether they are getting a good deal, and Coles and Woolworths' dominance of the sector seems set to continue. Woolworths and IGA meanwhile emerged as the two most expensive supermarkets to shop from, while grocery prices have slightly dropped at Coles, a survey by consumer advocacy group CHOICE revealed. has contacted Coles and Woolworths for comment.
