# Coles lowers earnings outlook as budget-minded shoppers split purchases across retailers

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/coles-admits-its-not-happy-as-shoppers-tighten-spending-and-turn-to-rivals-for-cheaper-groceries/
- Published: 2026-10-30T05:09:44+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T05:17:30+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16251435/coles-earnings-downgrade-sales-miss-woolworths-aldi-competition.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Art, Culture, World

## Key points

- Coles cut its first-half earnings outlook after sales missed expectations.
- Shoppers are splitting purchases across retailers to find lower prices.
- The company plans to promote value ranges and lower prices.

## Summary

Coles has downgraded its earnings outlook after first-quarter sales fell short of expectations, as price-conscious shoppers spread their purchases across more retailers. Chief executive Leah Weckert said online sales were strong, but the company was unhappy with momentum in its physical supermarkets, where customers were visiting but splitting their shopping between stores.

Group sales rose 2.2 per cent to $11.2 billion in the 13 weeks to 27 September, while supermarket sales, excluding tobacco, increased 3.6 per cent to $10.3 billion. Coles now expects supermarket earnings before interest and tax for the first half to be flat at about $1.2 billion, rather than rising; its shares fell 8 per cent after the update. The company plans to promote its Everyday Value range and lower prices on selected products for at least six months, as supermarket price inflation eased to 1.1 per cent.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.