Woolworths are really trying to squeeze productivity out of its DCs snd Stores, much more so in recent years vs a decade ago. Thatâs due to slowing margin and earnings growth in the market, so most Management will look for productivity gains. I recall stores have a new rostering system called RT3 which is productivity based, by all reports itâs an disaster, and they are going down that path at with the DCs it seems when it comes to picking. I exited all my Woolworths shares last year, just seemed like the place was about to go backwards.
I really think they need to be mindful of the safety factor as called out by the union. They have had a few fatalities in recent times, profits before safety certainly comes to mind.
Woolworths said negotiations with the UWU remain unresolved.
It said workers are demanding pay increases âmaterially above inflationâ at a time when customers are facing cost of living pressures.
In response, UWU national secretary Tim Kennedy said Woolworths could end the strike now if they wanted.
Woolworths today lodged an application with Fair Work to stop striking workers from blocking access to distribution centres as stock runs low across the country.
The grocery giant is seeking orders from the workplace regulator to prevent the United Workers Union (UWU) stopping employees from entering the Melbourne south regional distribution centre and three other sites in Victoria and NSW.
The Essential Ingredient, which featured as a specialty food brand on cooking show MasterChef Australia, entered into voluntary administration in late September - after almost 40 years of trading.
The online store is now permanently closed, while its Melbourne and Sydney retail outlets will remain open until stocks last.
This evening on a trip to WOW it appears they are getting pumped some stock from NSW as one employee said the pallet was from Sydney.
Fridge and Freezer was still empty, Iâd say around 10% full. Very scattered and patchy around the rest of the supermarket. Bakery stock seems to be largely frozen as they basically had nothing, even though they have a bakery instore, just shows how much is still frozen.
WOW is at Fair Work on Friday, so even if this starts to flow from this weekend, itâs going to take 1-2 weeks to clear the backlog. I do feel for the employees in store who are about to get belted with stock.
The biggest thing I noted was the lack of customers, 5pm on a Wed itâs usually quite busy, I counted a dozen other customers in the whole store.
Coles and Aldi will be loving this
Shell Coles Express Strathfield has rebranded as Shell OTR Strathfield. IIRC the first Coles Express to OTR conversion in NSW (The previous Shell OTRs openings in NSW are either new builds or acquisitions from other 3rd party Shell operators)
(And no, OTR branded Shell does not take Flybuys or Coles 4c discounts, that will be handled by the outlets being rebranded Reddy Express).
Something interesting I noticed near where I live in Essendon, VIC. A BP-branded OTR recently rebranded to Shell OTR.
Viva Energy acquired OTR in April 2023, but the acquisition wasnât officially approved by the ACCC until December 2023, with the deal completing in March 2024.
In the same year, Coles sold its petrol business to Viva Energy, which rebranded the stations from Coles Express to Reddy Express.
The OTR service station on Pascoe Vale Road in Essendon had only opened earlier in this year as a BP, but was rebranded to Shell just last month.
I wonder if weâll see Viva rebrand Reddy as OTR, given that Reddy locations have already been rebranded from Coles.
Very interesting. Will be interesting to watch how this unfolds.
Meanwhile at Woolworths:
Not all Coles (Reddy) Express are 24-hr sites, and a large number of sites out in the suburbs/regional areas are no bigger than the âdog boxâ sites at EG Ampol (former Woolworths Petrol).
Itâs likely Viva Energy will operate the dual brand Reddy Express (for smaller/non-24 hr sites) and OTR (for larger sites/24 hr locations) for a while yet unless if they stump up money to upgrade the âdog boxâ Coles/Reddy Express sites to actual OTR sized stores.
A Coles Express store here is currently being flipped to OTR in SA. Not many were retained as Viva had an undertaking to sell most of their Shell Coles Express outlets to Chevron downstream which have since become Caltex outlets.
I also notice another fuel brand that previously owned by Peregrine which was âMogasâ has had Shell rebrand in Parafield Gardens which makes it feel more like it is part of the same network. It is a smaller format store but took on the OTR branding with fuel from Mogas for around the last 18-24 months.
On the flip side most of the X Convenience outlets have rebranded from Mobil to BP now as BP look to fill the gap in their SA Network
Itâs awfully confusing at the moment in SA with all the changes to the brands of petrol.
Meanwhile the only OTR (Shell) in Sydney is in Lane Cove.
Legal counsel for Woolworths Marc Felman KC called the picket lines âobstructiveâ, âcapricious or unfairâ, and âa metaphorical gunâ.
He argued they were having the effect of not allowing workers who may want to continue working to enter the site.
Thatâs⊠the point of a picket line.
My Woolworths app doesnât show the options to say I am here or on my way anymore when doing a pickup order.
