Woolworths Australia History

Introduction

Woolworths has the biggest supermarket chain in Australia and is owned by the Woolworths Limited. Woolworths Limited was established in 1924 with the initial store opening in Sydney’s Imperial Arcade. Its opening advertisement claimed that every city required the Woolworths and thus everybody needed a handy place where good things were cheap (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001). Woolworths was founded by Stanley Edward Chatterton, Harold Percival Christmas, Ernest Robert Williams, George William Percival Creed and Cecil Scott Waine. Stanley Chatterton and Percy Christmas had opened the first floor Frock Salon in Queen Victoria Markets currently the Queen Victoria Building at the corner of George and Market streets in Sydney (Collier and Evans, 2010).

Formation of Woolworths limited

It was obvious in 1924 the premises of S.E. Chatterton were small steered to opening of another branch. Formation of the new company (Woolworths limited) incorporated with the nominal capital of 25,000 shares each. The once proposed “Woolworths Bazaar” seemed cumbersome and on 22nd September in 1924, the company got registered as Woolworths limited after realization that the overseas Woolworths Company has no agenda to open in Australia. It had the following founding directors: S.E. Chatterton, H.P. Christmas, C. Scott Waine, E.R. Williams and G.W.P. Creed as the nearest advisers (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001).

There were 15,000 shares which were given to public though there was small confidence in the business enterprise. Only 11,707 shares got subscribed by 29 people mostly the friends of promoters. Despite the mode, it was decided to go on and open soonest possible. The store was an instantaneous success and in its initial year the company remunerated a dividend of 5%, 40% in the second year and 50% in its third year (Collier and Evans, 2010). The policy of the founders to sell good in popular demand on cash and carry basis had been maintained (Peter Schulz, 1982).

Woolies before Transition

Retail environment in Australia

Over the last 50 years, the Australia enjoyed fine business environment with increased population with the shopping centre developers becoming some of the leading in the world. The country enjoys fine weather all the year round, apart from having many of open air shopping centers. The usually encompassed centers have also an outdoor component with enclosed air conditioned areas which offer the respite from summer heat in warmer states.

Evolution of supermarkets came with huge impact on Australia’s retail landscape. Riding on the strength of supermarkets retailing, Woolworths were at the time prepared on their way to become the biggest largest retailers. The Woolworths and Cols have currently neared 10% of the total Australian retail sales. As the retail sector in Australia has grown, it has also remained flexible and strategic to cope with micro and macro economic challenges, consumer trends, technological advances, new retail formats, consumer trends, globalization, rising retail rents, and increasing competition.

Warehousing

At first the Sydney Bulk Store was built on the two floors above Oxford Street store in 1929 though the space was outgrown quickly and in 1933 the three floors of the nearby Wentworth Avenue warehouse got taken over. The 20,000 sq ft seemed enough for the foreseeable future though it was outgrown within two years. This lead into purchase of 1 acre site at Pyrmont and 100,000 sq ft warehouse establishment opening as Sydbulk in 1936.

Within the two years of growth, the space was outgrown as now Woolworths had 71 stores bulk and trading buying was the significant part to supply the best prices to customers. A novel bigger site was obtained at Glebe and in 1940 a modern warehouse of 262,000 sq ft was opened. Simultaneously, the Sydprint which was initiated in 1934 as the silk screen department in Majesty’s store moved likewise into Glebe warehouse (Karen Plunkett-Powell , 2001).

The availability of enough warehousing was short lived and the influx of troops in the World War II created a space at the premium and in 1942 the Woolworths managed to bargain for smaller area in the attempt of taking the Glebe Warehouse as 100,000 was fenced for Americans. The World War II had brought the company’s growth into termination. Many Woolworth’s men and women joined into military services which made it difficult for the company get its stock and staff (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001).

The company saw a big change in its top management in 1940 with the appointment of Mr. Theo Kelly as the General Manager preceding Mr. H.P. Christmas then in office after the company sought the relief solution from increasingly arduous duties. Mr. Kelly who had joined Woolworths in 1928, its dedication interest in stock control issues led into his appointment as the Warehouse Manager two years later (Peter Schulz, 1982).

Mr. Kelly was transferred to New Zealand in 1931 as the general manager and after three years he was appointed as the Director of Woolworths NZ. He took leave from position of General Manager to serve in RAAF for a few years and then got appointed into the board on his return. In 1945, Mr. Christmas retired as the managing director which led Kelly to be appointed as the successor at age 37.

Mr. Christmas retained his Board position though on his oversees trip he suddenly died at Bordeaux in France. His position on Board was taken by Mr. Cedric Hart who joined the company in 1928 as the Queensland Accountant and got appointed as Secretary at the Head Office, Sydney in 1929.

Post-War Expansion

The termination of war brings the duty of rehabilitating the returned service personnel and the depleted warehouses and stores. The first post-war store was commenced at Brankstown, Sydney in 1948 and other stores quickly enhanced. In 1954, the Woolworths purchased the Majesty’s building for $ 2,200,000, Australian record price for one piece of the real estate and in 1955 the Woolworths opened the 200th store in Civic Centre, Canberra (Collier and Evans, 2010).

Woolworths continued to grow in New Zealand to acquire 10 McDuff’s stores by 1951 and in 1955 there were already 50 Woolworths stores established in New Zealand. In 1956 the company commenced its staff Journal which soon came to be called the Woolies News and circulated to all the states and stores to keep the Woolies family updated on the activities of rapidly expanding company (Karen Plunkett-Powell , 2001).

Woolies Transition

Woolworths limited continued to develop and in 1929 it saw its establishment in the London Buying Office (Australasian Chain Stores Ltd) and its related company in New Zealand, the Woolworths Zealand ltd whose initial store opened at Cuba Street in Wellington in 1929.

By the ending of 1933, Woolworths limited had grown into 23 branches in Australia and 8 branches in New Zealand. The initial Victorian store was opened at Bourke Street in Melbourne in 1933. On the proceeding year, the former ‘Bargain Basement’ Imperial Arcade in Sydney was closed after the company got the lease of her closest Majesty’s Theatre (Karen Plunkett-Powell , 2001).

Following the considerable internal reconstruction, her new Majesty’s branch at Market and Pitt Street became the Woolworths major Sydney store which opened on 1934. In 1938, another new company was built to control the freehold properties of Woolworth’s properties ltd, Woolworths’ freehold properties and in 1942 the company’s initial architect was selected.

Woolworths had consistent advertisers in daily newspapers from beginning. In 1937, the company decided to utilize the comparatively new medium of radio sponsoring; the evening program referred to as “Rhythm Round-up” aired in station 2GB in Sydney (Collier and Evans, 2010). The Woolworths’ appeal for almost unfamiliar “before breakfast” resulted in Jack Davey to get its initial peak-time “break” in the show business and became one of the Sydney’s principal personalities (Karen Plunkett-Powell , 2001).

In 1981, the construction began on novel 74,000 sq metre warehouse complex on a land of 13 hectares at Yennora at the approximate cost of $20 million. The Yennora Distribution Cntre opened in 1983 and became the company’s initial computerized Food warehouse. The second computerized Food Warehouse was established at the Acacia Ridge, Qld in 1983 and the novel meat processing plant at Wacol, Brisbane stated its production in July.

In 1985, acquisition of 126 Australian Safeway Stores brought Woolworths to be the biggest food retailer in Australia. The Safeway Stores were located in Queensland and Victoria, New South Wales and involved the Northern New South Wales and Food Barns in Queensland. The stores got acquired following the agreement in which the Safeway Inc received 19.99% interest in Woolworths Limited (Peter Schulz, 1982). This led into Mr. J.W.R, the managing director and chairman of Australian Safeway stores, and Mr. P.A. Magowan, the chief executive officer and chairman of the Safeway stores Inc, USA got appointed into the Woolworths Board (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001).

Currently the Food Store Chain included Philip Leong, Flemings (NSW), BCC, Food for Less (QLD), BCC, Fabulous (SA), Nancarrows (Vic), and Food Fair (WA) and it was concluded that from 1986 the businesses would operate as Food and Wholesaling Unit based at Mascot, Flemings, and Sydney. Woolworths also enhanced into franchising with the passing of Clancy’s franchises from the testing stage and 12 Clancy stores which operated in New South Wales.

On January of 1985, acquisition of 50% for issued capital of Chandlers, Australia got pronounced. Chandler operated the chain of 59 electrical retail stores in Northern New South Wales and Queensland while in April the initial Dick Smith store was established in San Francisco, United States (Collier and Evans, 2010).

In 1985, the minute group of 12 Homemaker stores was terminated. These stores were initially established in 1973 with stores in Jesmond in NSW and Bankstown Square, which involved a wide range of furniture, white goods and furnishings. On November, the IEL advised the unconditional offer to all shares in Woolworths Limited at the price of $3.65 cash per share. On December, the chairman for Woolworths declared the Woolworths directors had agreed on IEL offer to get the Woolworths shares. In 1989, the IEL had acquired 98.4% of shares in Woolworths and went on with compulsory acquisition of remaining Woolworths share (Collier and Evans, 2010). Woolworths became fully owned subsidiary of IEL at the cost of $ 850 million and on 31st of May, the Woolworths Limited shares got delisted and the company never appeared on Stock Exchange Boards after being listed for 65 years (Peter Schulz, 1982).

The Woolworths limited stores had not been given attention until the premises offer on the highly advantageous terms which resulted in Woolworths opening at the store in Queen Street, Brisbane in 1927. On the preceding year, the company opened a store at 370 Pitt Street, second in Brisbane in the Valley and initial in Western Australia at the Hay Street, Perth (Peter Schulz, 1982).

Cost and Benefits

On October in 1964, the Woolworths opened its initial entirely sponsored and established the regional shopping centre (Jesmond Centre), near Newcastle, NSW. The 12 acre $2 million project involved the Woolworths’ initial BIG W department store, extensive car parking and specialty shops. In the preceding year the company opened the second BIG W department store at Chatswood.

In 1964 Woolworths celebrated its 30th anniversary for its total retail sales which totaled $250 million setting the record for Australian retailer. It saw the building of laboratory of food testing at Perishables Warehouse in Auburn hence launching the company on the Quality Assurance Program which became one of the biggest and most comprehensive in retail industry in Australia (Karen Plunkett-Powell , 2001).

In October 1965, Woolworths opened the second regional shopping centre at Newcastle in New South Wales. The $4 million establishment was referred as Kotara and in August 1966 was preceded by a drive-in shopping centre at the Liverpool nearby Sydney. And in November 1968, the Rock-hampton (Central Queensland) got its initial drive in the shopping centre when the Woolworths started the Northside Plaza (Karen Plunkett-Powell , 2001).

On the proceeding year, Sundale on Queensland’s Gold Coast was established on March and the fifth drive-in shopping centre got entirely expanded by Woolworths. Also the $71/2 million regional shopping centre on a 13 acre site comprising 50 shops was flagged as one of the developed designs in Australia by the time (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001). The drive-in supermarkets greatly spread as Warrawong Regional Centre in the nearby Port Kembla, and New South Wales opened in 1969. Woolworths drive-ins opened its seventh shopping centre south of Warrawong at Warilla Grove with Woolworths supermarket and other 20 specialty stores (Peter Schulz, 1982).

Woolworths formed an export division in 1963 as Woolworths registered in Malaysia, Thailand Philippines and Hong Kong. In May 1965, the Woolworths Limited in Malaysia acquired the management interest in Fitzpatricks Food Suppliers, the Far East Limited, which is one of the Leading Singapore’s retail, agency and wholesale organizations. This was consequently sold in 1970. In 1965 Woolworths had the significant events of acquiring the long-term lease in Bebarfalds building the famous Sydney landmark at the corner of Park and George streets opposite Sydney Town Hall.

In 1978, the board agreed the offer from LD Nathan and Co Ltd, from New Zealand to buy the Woolworths 40% interest in Woolworths (NZ) ltd. The company had the net gain due to transaction of $2,016,000 and 1,887,844 shares in Co.Ltd and LD Nathan which represented the 15% interest in the company (Peter Schulz, 1982). In 1979 Woolworths shares in LD Nathan plus Company Limited got sold to the New Zealand institutions bringing into an end the association which extended over half century. Woolworths established their initial New Zealand store in Cuba Street, Wellington in 1929 and lastly got 98 stores in New Zealand.

In the marketing style changes of the Woolworths first self-service, a variety store was started at Beverly Hills, in a Sydney suburb on October, 1955. In the similar concept in retail trading overseas, especially in America, customers no longer waited to be catered for but serviced themselves to the items they required to pay at the checkouts as they moved out of the store (Peter Schulz, 1982).

In 1983, the company made the year sales of $3,243,701,000 and the net profit of $56,965,000 after taxing. To recognize the company’s 60th anniversary, the directors issued for bonus issue of shares made to all shareholders in the proportion of 1 to 10. The dividend reinvestment plan was pronounced and became operating in 1984 last dividend. In the year, 10 small stores in north of Western Australia got acquired from Elders IXL. The acquisition brought Woolies into a sole rich Pilbara region of north Western Australia for initial time and into the total number of 793.

The concept was successful and the second self-service store got opened in Carnegie, in Melbourne the preceding year. In this whole period, the company experimented with small food sections in the rear parts of its variety stores including the Burswood, Punchbowl, Dee Why and Campsie (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001). The grocery range was limited though it included delicatessen items, fresh vegetables and packaged fresh meat sold in refrigerated cabinets. The variety sectors were serviced while the food sections were on self-service basis and had their own checkouts in the middle of the store.

In May 1958, the company enhanced his fewer food outlets by acquisition of other 32 BCC (Stores food markets) in Queensland. The quick expansion enabled Woolworths to open its 300ths store in Wentworthville in December 1959. 1960 was the momentous year as Woolworths continued to proceed into the food sector to acquire John Wills supermarket chain which consisted of nine stores in Western Australia (Collier and Evans, 2010). With enhanced expertise in food marketing, the Woolworths planned for a series of comprehensive supermarkets, self selection stores, giving a variety of goods and range of food under one roof, with nearby parking space to meet the needs of fast growing population of car owners (Peter Schulz, 1982).

The first Woolworths supermarket was opened at Warrawong, New South Wales in 1960 and was a great success which the other stores planned on drawing board reviewed to allow for full growth of the entire sites. In November and December of the same year, supermarkets got opened at Seven Hills, Berala, St. Ives, and Fairfield Heights, New South Wales, Margate and Coorparoo in Queensland and Elizabeth in South Australia.

Acquisition for the 55 store Flemings food Chain in June and 57 New South Wales stores

At McIraiths in November enhanced Woolworths food marketing. Woolworths became the initial retailer to function widely in Australia in 1960 when it bought the Northern Territory business for Centralian Traders Pty Ltd, in Alice Springs and Woolies were brought in the centre of the continent as Darwin followed in 1962.

Following the massive expansion, the Glebe warehouse became a bit small and the existing stock-handling techniques too cumbersome. By the beginning of 1960, a new eighteen acre distribution centre at North Auburn, Silver water in NSW got established in stages. It occupied the entire block and offered the largest building for its kind in Australia with 800,000 sq ft of the storage space on two levels (Peter Schulz, 1982).

The variety stock was held in one floor with consumables and groceries on other. Installation in the warehouse of Ramac, electronic computer for distribution and modern stock control, built Woolworths as the leader in computer usage in retail industry. In 1962, the completion of warehouse in Sydprint shifted from Glebe warehouse to Silverwater and got renamed as Woolprint and remained there until 1989.

A new subsidiary Meatex was formed at Auburn for meat supplication to supermarkets and by 1961 another smaller Meatex plant got opened at Welland, South Australia before it relocated to Marleston in 1963. In August, a novel Meat distribution centre got completed in Blacktown to replace the Meatex at Auburn. The modern plant had extensive facilities which facilitated distribution for fresh meat to Woolworths NSW supermarkets (Collier and Evans, 2010). In 1960s, Woolworths expanded again into apparel market. It purchased 70 Rockmans apparel stores which operated in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland in 1961 and by November purchased the manufacturing company (L.O. Bailey Pty Ltd) 78 and other related Chic Salon lingerie shops.

The initial stage of enhanced alterations towards the building now called the Woolies Corner, culminated in November opening of the new look Woolworths variety store which occupied the basement, first and ground floors (Peter Schulz, 1982). There was the addition of two additional storeys’, and the upper floors became the head office of the company in March 1970. Her Majesty store which traded for 36 years terminated in 1970 and the building got sold to AMP Society for redevelopment as a portion of Centre point project. In 1966 a Knighthood, the Queen’s Birthday Honor List was pronounced for Woolies Chairman and Managing Director (Sir Theo Kelly) in reorganization for his services to industry and Commerce. Sir Theo Kelly had taken the part of Mr. C. Scott Waine as the Chairman of Board in 1963, to hold the appointment jointly with Managing Directorship.

In 1967 eight Cox brothers department stores got acquired successfully to comprise the Foys at Bourke Street in Melbourne and the stores in Melbourne in Chadstone suburbs, Prahran, Northland and Collingwood; Cox-Economic at Hay stret, Morshead atBallarat, Cox-Foys and Perth at Mt Gambier SA. The Victorian group of 26 food stores (trading as Nancarrows) was acquired in 1969 and further group of 75 Crofts Food Stores in 1970. The stores added to existing Food Fairs to make it the composite group of 120 food stores which trading as Nancarrows and offered the strong entry into Victorian market (Collier and Evans, 2010).

Woolworths opened a novel BIG W Centre at Booval near Ipswich Qld which featured the complete self-selection and checkout process to merchandising in department store as well as food in 60,000 sq. ft. trading level. On the preceding year, a similar store opened at Indooroopilly in Brisbane. This became announced as the “Woolworths Family Centre” and Booval store got adopted at the same time (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001). Simultaneously, it was decided to hold the trading name of BIG W department stores for the purpose of transferring the existing stores to new Woolworths Family Centre Division. In the end of 1970 other three Woolworths Family Centers started to operate in Queensland at Mt, Isa, North Rockhampton and Mt Gravatt, Brisbane.

Popularity in Woolworths Family Centers, Queensland gave way for more expansion for this new division and in 1971 the initial New South Wales centers started at Warilla Grove shopping centre and St, Wollingong. These got followed by the Wagga NSW, 10th and the Phoenix Park near the Fremantle WA, 31st. By the end of September in 1971, there were opened six more Family Centers, three in Queensland, two in (NSW) and one in WA. Also the company lauched its 25-year club in 1970 where the Woolworths honors its employees retired or active with 25 or more year’s service. The inaugural functions got held in the entire states at Company’s London Office (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001).

Sir Theo Kelly retired in 1971 and Owen Price the general manager since 1969 was appointed as the company’s chief executive. Sir Theo remained as the chairman of Woolworths Limited, subsidiary and associated companies and the managing and chairman of Woolworths, in New Zealand Limited.

In November 1972, the last surviving member of Woolworths group who founded Woolworths, Mr. Stanley E. Chatterton CBE, retired from the directors’ board to severe the link of great historical importance. In 1974, the general manager, Mr. Owen Price, resigned and Mr. Paul Simons and Mr. W.B Dean got appointed jointly as general managers and Mr. C.T. Waldon became the deputy general manager. On December in 1978, Mr. C.T. Waldron the deputy general manager became appointed as the joint general manager corporate services after resignation of Mr. Paul Simons as Mr. W.B. Dean maintained his responsibility as the Joint General Manager (merchandising).

In 1973 Woolworths introduced the carefully organized series of Woolworths own brands. It launched 200 items under five different names: St Mark, Chevron, Grandway and Woothworths which all bared the “Own Brands seal. For qualification in inclusion of the “Own Brands” range, the e product retained the least equal quality to national market leader though it sold at a minimal price (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001)

Woolworth’s limited 50th anniversary was celebrated by the shoppers in the entire Australia on 5th December as Australia shaped cakes which bared 50 candles got distributed in all the stores for customers and staff to share (Peter Schulz, 1982). That year saw the retail sales of $702,024,065 and the operating profit minus the tax of $9, 933,770. The staff currently which totaled 32,000 made the Woolworths as one of the largest employers of private labor enterprise sector (Collier and Evans, 2010).

The Woolworths board recently established the four clear corporate objectives:

To offer the customers with good quality merchandise at cheap prices.

Improved profit on shareholder’s funds to make the people owning Woolworths

To receive good returns on investment.

To offer their customers with adequate and friendly services.

To provide good conditions, wages, job satisfaction for its employees.

In 1975, there was a high inflection in Australia and Woolworths got affected by the heavy increases of wages. Even though, 143 new stores got completed in the year and significantly the policy discussions got held to rationalize the trading operations and plan for establishment of BIG W Discount Store Division, the novel style for retailing of Woolworths. The BIG W concept was for big store, and sold the general merchandise on a sole level with enhanced parking facilities.

The initial BIG W DISCOUNT STORE was started at West Tamworth in New South Wales in 1976 and by the ending of 1978, up to 13 BIG W Discount stores operated with stores in the entire states and ACT. Also in 1976, Woolworths became the initial Australian retail organization to get the sales which exceeded $ 1 billion in a financial year and the initial Annual Report to staff got distributed, an additional initial Australian Retail Industry (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001).

In 1980, Sir Theo Kelly OBE retired from the position of Chairman and got succeeded by Mr. E.P. McClintock. Sir Theo Kelly was established to commemorate his 52 years in the company and 17 years as the chairman. The foundation offered the scholarship to enable managers from the industry participates in the moment of tertiary education aiming directly to develop the skills in Executive Retail Management. On January, 31st, Mr. AJ Tony the previous state manager for NSW was selected as to general manager and also chief executive and director for the board before his appointment as the managing director in 1981.

In the year which ended in 28th January in 1981, the company sales exceeded by $2 billion for initial time and the increased results made the bonus issue of usual shares of 1 for 10. A $30 million pronounceable rights matter for convertible unsecured was made to ordinary shareholders to help in funding of new store development.

In 1981, the Woolworths got 60% of the established companies operated by Dick Smith Electronic, and the remaining 40% of Dick Smith group got acquired in 1983. The food store group was based in Townsville, Qld as Philip Leong was taken in April and acquirement of Purity Group of 14 supermarkets and Roelf Vos group of 10 supermarkets in Tasmania.

Woolworths had been in the forefront in utilization of the latest technology and improved its retail performance. In year 1926 the receipt-printing cash registers got installed by National Cash Register Company which declared Woolworths Limited was the word’s firt variety store to implement that kind of machines to record its sales (Collier and Evans, 2010).

In August of 1982, the Arndale Supermarket and the French’s Forest formed the initial centre for scanning operations with NCR equipment in Sydney. Preceding the successful pilit scheme, the scanning systems got introduced in 10 supermarkets in Purity Stores and New South Wales in Tasmania.

The Proceeding year on 5th of December, there was the introduction of the world’s first national electronic funds transfer system at the point of sale at that supermarket at Neutral Bay, New South Wales. The Food Plus and BP Australia joined Westpac for this historic initially. In 1998, the trial for the first scanning system got launched at Glenorchy Purity Supermarket, Tasmania.

In the first week of December, celebrations were held in the entire Woolworths stores to celebrate the company’s 60th Anniversary. This followed the giving of 11 kilo maps of Australia cakes to all Woolworths stores for ‘cake-cutting ceremonies’ and presentation in the community groups. This give opportunity for the 25 year club with the membership f 705 which held special functions in all the states.

The community gestured for 60th anniversary and the poster of Australian flags with 38 flags depicting the Australian history got produced for Australian day. Two of posters were given free to all the Australian schools, state and independent likewise to make available in all the parliamentarians and any interested parties. They proved to be successful and became an annual event with the new poster on Australian theme designed and distributed every year (Collier and Evans, 2010).

The Future of Woolworths

Improvement in Profitability

The company’s results reviewed a dramatic turnaround from negative effects of 1987. The half year trading of 1988 confirmed the improvement trend in profitability of company though the directors never declared on interim dividend. In the period of 1988 to 1989, the sales and the group operating profit increased and again putting the Woolworths as the leader of retailed food in Australia (Peter Schulz, 1982).

In 1989, the new concept of store presentation introduced alongside Crazy Prices Store that was opened at Eastwood, NSW. Formally growing from aggressive efforts into clear stocks on closing of unprofitable variety stores, the precepts was then enhanced into new sites and in two years the 20 Crazy Prices stores got established (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001).

Environment

Woolworths looked for various ways of reducing its effects on environment. It engaged in recycling of in-store waste like polystyrene boxes, cardboard boxes, meat off cuts and chicken rotisserie fat and the supermarkets came up with storefront bins of plastic bag recycling. In the last half of 1989, Woolworths established the testing program and became the CFC free and utilized only the HFC refrigerants. All the refitted and new Woolworths supermarkets are fitted with HFC products nationally (Peter Schulz, 1982).

Woolworths currently uses the latest technological advances to offer the service for their customers. The Woolworths Online Fresh Food Website involves the personalized meal planning features. The site gives room for the customer to browse around 2000 delicious recipes, dietary advice and practical cooling tips from the leading nutritionist: Rosemary Stanton and register for dietary requirements and personal food preferences.

Proper meal plans particularly tailored to those kinds of requirements are generated and after the recipes are chosen, the sites form a shopping list and advice to the viewer of their nearest Woolworths Purity, Safeway or Roelf Vos Supermarket. Its Home Page Services got extended when the Homeshop went live in 1998. Centered on the Woolworths store at Eastwood, Sydney, the Homeshop enables the customers to view for products range including fresh fruit and vegetables, groceries, serviced deli, fresh meat, liquor, frozen and chilled foods.

The customers have got their chosen groceries delivered within the nominated 2 hour delivery window amidst 7am and 11pm by the refrigerated Homeshop van as the payments are made via mobile EFTPOS on their arrival. The service has been expanded rapidly with plans to cover the for 140 suburbs in Sydney (Collier and Evans, 2010).

In July of 1998, the Woolworths and Commonwealth Bank pronounced the alliance purposed at offering the range of co-branded financial services to personal customers. Immediately after the Woolworths had announced it, contracted with the Dan Murphy Cellars liquor business (in Victoria) with five other retail outlets in metropolitan Melbourne.

It had been the intention of Woolworths to sustain the Dan Murphy business as the autonomous expand and operation nationwide in the new brand-name concept (Peter Schulz, 1982). Woolworths goes on to enhance its activities with novel marketplace shopping centers in construction , and more so Metro Stores being opened in New South Wales and Queensland likewise to Woolworths +Plus Petro enhancing up to 42 outlets and new distribution and warehousing centers at Minchin bury, broad meadows and New South Wales, Victoria (Karen Plunkett-Powell, 2001).