Woolworths sets two-year timetable to delete Select brand
Woolworths will take up to two years to kill off its Select range of products after deciding to throw all of its weight behind its Essentials lines.
The move comes just months after the supermarket announced it was bringing to an end its no-frills Homebrand range as it tries to counter the impact of Aldi and its own label strategy.
Woolworths revealed the second stage of its own brand cull to analysts last week and told Mumbrella the clear out of the Select line will run through 2016 and into 2017.
“This transformation to this new label will take place over the next couple of years, with the introduction of the bulk of the new range over the coming financial year,” a spokesperson said.
“The new Woolworths label will allow our customers to make a purchase knowing the Woolworths brand guarantees its quality.”
The supermarket has signalled that its new approach will also see it focus more directly on food, with the end of Select and Homebrand accompanying a decision to end selling ancillaries such as kitchenware and other household items.
“This will become a food-focused brand, covering a couple of thousand products. Select currently covers both food and non-food products,” the spokesperson said.
“The Woolworths label will allow us to offer our customers fresh produce and food products that are more consistent in their promise and delivery. On price we will offer our customers greater value, which will see the Woolworths label being more competitive in the marketplace than Select.”
Recently appointed CEO, Brad Banducci signalled the supermarket would build a more streamlined offer when he took the helm of the business earlier this year.
Two years to kill Select? They kill off the brands we actually want in two days.
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So what does this mean for the price of non-food shopping at Woolworths (think wraps/foils, tissues, dishwasher and washing tablets/liquids, cleaning products, pet food, etc). Will the absence of home brand products in these categories mean Aldi and Coles are significantly cheaper?
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Woolworths stores look like junk stores, cramped shelves, terribly filled back docks caused by the abandonment of “Capping” that needs to be re-introduced. Woolworths has a stupid motto that goes “If its in store its on the shelf” well with capping that was true! They have annoying store announcers, terrible TV ads and half the stores still display the old logo.. go figure.
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