Yahoo Finance Major Coles shopping move to rival Costco: 'Up to 80 per cent off’
Coles shoppers can now buy more than 50 items in bulk, including coffee, dishwashing tablets and nappies, as part of a new cost-of-living move.
Coles is ramping up its bulk buy offering across a range of products. The supermarket giant said shoppers were now able to buy more than 50 household items in bulk, with big savings of up to 80 per cent on offer.
Coles’ “Big Pack Value” range includes everything from coffee and cleaning supplies, to treats and toiletries. Varieties of Nescafe coffee sachets, Finish dishwasher tablets, Huggies nappies and Bonds briefs are among the items shoppers can now buy in bulk.
The idea of buying in bulk to save cash isn’t a new one, with the model popularised by Costco. Finder personal finance expert Sarah Megginson told Yahoo Finance that Coles was likely making a play against the American company with the move.
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“I think [Coles] is trying to establish themselves as more than just your grocery store where you go for your weekly grocery shop but you’re trying to establish themselves as that go-to resource for all those other things,” she said.
The big difference here is Costco charges a $65 per year annual membership fee for Aussies, whereas Coles doesn’t.
Costco also stocks a bigger range of bulk buy products, with around 4,000 different items usually at hand, compared to the more than 50 offered by Coles.
Do you bulk-buy to save money? Contact tamika.seeto@yahooinc.com
Aussies buying in bulk to save
Coles general manager for health and home, Deb Galle, said customers were increasingly looking for bigger value products that last longer and offered savings.
The supermarket’s survey of 15,000 Aussies found nearly 30 per cent of customers were buying more in bulk than ever before to help ease cost-of-living pressures.
“Our Big Pack Value range gives customers the opportunity to save anywhere up to 80 per cent on products they would normally buy,” Galle said.
“This is something we’re really proud to offer because we know that buying in bulk can help to make a real difference at the checkout and in the weeks following.”
Coles bulk buys include a 50-pack of Duracell Coppertop AA batteries for $31, which will save shoppers 57 per cent compared to its regular 20-pack for $29.
Coca-Cola Mini Variety 250mL 24-packs for $22 will save customers about 43 per cent compared to them buying a six-pack of the soft drinks. Meanwhile, a Smith’s 60 Variety Pack for $22 will save them 18 per cent.
Coles has reduced the price of a dozen popular supermarket items in the Coles Simply range for the next 12 weeks. That includes staples like lasagne, bread rolls and soap.
Be careful of overspending
Megginson urged shoppers buying in bulk to do so “intentionally” to make sure they aren’t overspending.
“It’s all dopamine hits. It feels good to be in the supermarket and feel like you are taking care of your future self and stocking up for your family,” Megginson told Yahoo Finance.
“But if you’re on a budget and overspending can put you under financial pressure it’s a bit of a false gain. So make sure you are shopping intentionally and if you are on a tight budget, that you are not going over it.
“My big advice is to look at what you’re buying and work out how long it is going to last you.”
If you're looking for more ways to save, an Aussie data scientist has developed a web browser hack that allows Coles customers to see when items might be coming down in price.
He told Yahoo Finance around 1,00 people had downloaded the extension in the last few days. Coles shoppers can download it here, while Firefox users can find it here.
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