‘The right types of promotions’: Woolies lures customers back with lower prices
Sydney Morning Herald
by Jessica YunFebruary 25, 2026
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Woolworths has successfully reversed years of underperformance by implementing aggressive price reductions and ramping up weekly specials, which have lured customers back into stores. Despite facing scrutiny from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over alleged false discounting, the supermarket giant reported a 3.4% sales uplift to $37.1 billion for the first half of the financial year. This turnaround comes as Woolworths focuses on meeting customer demand for reliable promotions on essential items like chicken, bread, and milk, aligning with inflationary pressures and wage growth. The company’s "Lower Shelf Price" program now includes over 350 products, offering stable discounts similar to Coles’ Every Day pricing.
Woolworths’ strategy has resonated with price-conscious shoppers, as underlying inflation has risen to 3.4% while wage growth has slowed. CEO Amanda Bardwell emphasized the importance of providing "the right types of promotions" that matter for family baskets, which has boosted customer frequency and basket size. However, this success comes under legal scrutiny, with the ACCC preparing
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Originally published on Sydney Morning Herald on 2/25/2026