A $728 million increase to eCommerce retail was the key headline to September quarter retailer announcements, as Australian sales growth continues to be dominated by online shopping. Following on from previous growth in the 2021 June quarter, sales across online channels were up for both Coles (48%) and Woolworths (53.1%), accounting for virtually all sales growth across supermarkets.
While an initial move online shopping for consumers was driven by concerns over safety and convenience, results for the June quarter saw continued momentum for sales growth. This would suggest a reduced barrier for entry for shoppers to online and is likely to indicate that online shopping is here to stay.
With a clear advantage to major supermarkets with eCommerce offerings, is this likely to affect supermarket priorities around store frontage going forward? Additionally, how will this dynamic change with the impending national ‘re-opening’ at hand?