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Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Danny Martin Danny Martin Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: May 2024 ANZSIC G4111

Revenue

$131.7bn

2024-25

$135.8bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

440k

Businesses

2,267

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia industry analysis

Price dynamics have played a big part in supermarket and grocery store performance in recent years. The continued expansion of Aldi and Costco has forced the two established industry giants, Woolworths and Coles, to remain price-competitive on the consumer front. To differentiate themselves from low-cost supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths have leant into attracting customers with improved store refurbishments and expanded online shopping capabilities. These supermarket giants are also relying on loyalty programs and promotions as deceptive discounting practices face heightened scrutiny from regulators. Coles and Woolworths have displayed interest in data analytics, strengthening their relationships with analytics firms like Palantir to optimise their marketing and operational processes.

Trends and Insights

  • Rising prices are behind supermarket and grocer revenue swings. However, tougher cost-of-living pressures are pushing shoppers away from more expensive products and brands and incentivising less frequent shopping trips.
  • Changing consumer trends are causing a shift in store product mixes. Rising health consciousness among Australians has encouraged stores to offer Artisanal breads and milk alternatives to meet demand.
  • Lots of the Australia’s supermarkets and groceries are located on the eastern seaboard due to high population and proximity to trade hubs. Supermarkets in these states, can benefit from centralised distribution networks.
  • Price-conscious customers are driving the popularity of stores like Aldi and Costco. These stores' business models emphasise economies of scale and allow for competitive price points.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $131.7bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Inflationary pressures have driven prices higher and kept profit margins healthy for many grocers

  • As lockdowns ended, the discontinuation of many specials allowed supermarkets and grocers to capitalise on higher overall price points. In doing so, major supermarkets have been able to maintain profitability despite rising costs.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
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Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Supermarket inquiry and review to monitor industry conduct

  • The Federal Government has directed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to investigate supermarket pricing practices due to rapid inflation, allegations of deceptive pricing practices and market power misuse.

Biggest companies in the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Woolworths
50,353.3
Coles
38,146.2
Aldi
11,294.4

To view the market share and analysis for all 8 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia
Products & Services
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Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Dry and packaged foods, Bread and bakery products and Meat products. Dry and packaged foods is the largest segment of the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Strong export demand for Australian Meat products has boosted domestic prices back home

  • The meat products segment includes fresh meat products, like steaks, chops and roasts, along with processed meat products, such as smallgoods, mince and sausages. This segment includes all types of meat, like beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish and game meats.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Supermarkets and grocery stores retail a range of groceries and food products, including fruit and vegetables, bread, cigarettes, canned goods, toiletries, dairy goods, delicatessen items and cleaning goods. Specialist retailers, niche retailers and convenience stores are excluded from the industry.

What's included in this industry?

Dry and packaged foodsBread and bakery productsMeat productsMilk and other dairy productsFresh fruit and vegetablesBeveragesTobacco products Toiletries, health products and general merchandise

Companies

WoolworthsColesAldi

Purchase this report to view all 8 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

APPMEAL KITPRIVATE-LABEL

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 4110 - Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Rising prices are behind supermarket and grocer revenue swings. However, tougher cost-of-living pressures are pushing shoppers away from more expensive products and brands an...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Changing consumer trends are causing a shift in store product mixes. Rising health consciousness among Australians has encouraged stores to offer Artisanal breads and milk al...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Lots of the Australia’s supermarkets and groceries are located on the eastern seaboard due to high population and proximity to trade hubs. Supermarkets in these states, can b...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Price-conscious customers are driving the popularity of stores like Aldi and Costco. These stores' business models emphasise economies of scale and allow for competitive pric...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Supermarkets have passed on supplier costs to shoppers to preserve profit margins. However, they have also had to balance high-volume, low-margin operations to ensure they ma...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Woolworths's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Coles's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Aldi's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 5 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Woolworths, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Coles, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Aldi, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 5 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The ACCC monitors for breaches of competition law and administers the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct. Their interventions indirectly help smaller supermarkets and grocers. ...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Emphasis on big-data analytics has sustained the wage costs of larger supermarkets. This has come despite the wider use of automation instore to push down labour activity.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia is $131.7bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 2,267 businesses in the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores market in Australia are Woolworths, Coles and Aldi

What does the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia include?

Dry and packaged foods and Bread and bakery products are part of the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Woolworths.

How competitive is the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Supermarkets and Grocery Stores industry in Australia.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Fresh Meat, Fish and Poultry Retailing in Australia
  • Fruit and Vegetable Retailing in Australia
  • Liquor Retailing in Australia
  • Bread and Cake Retailing in Australia
  • Convenience Stores in Australia
  • Tobacco and Other Store-Based Retailing in Australia

Complementors

  • There are no industries to display.

International industries

  • Supermarkets & Grocery Stores in the US
  • Warehouse Clubs & Supercenters in the US
  • Ethnic Supermarkets in the US
  • Online Grocery Sales in the US
  • Supermarkets & Grocery Stores in Canada

View all industries in Australia

Methodology

How are Alfabank-Adres reports created?

Alfabank-Adres has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for Alfabank-Adres readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of Alfabank-Adres’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

Alfabank-Adres relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do Alfabank-Adres analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, Alfabank-Adres’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does Alfabank-Adres forecast its data?

Alfabank-Adres’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

Alfabank-Adres prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.