Alcohol retail is the new lucrative frontier. The supermarket titans, Coles (owned by Wesfarmers) and Woolworths, are heavily investing in the acquisition of independent liquor stores and chains, and between them currently control 65 per cent of alcohol retail in Australia up from 32 per cent in 2004.
To further increase profits, Woolworths and Coles import liquor under misleading names and load up their stores with these difficult to spot ‘house brands’, often undercutting the well known brands. To get a slice of Australia’s $7 billion beer industry, both companies have introduced their own house brand beer.
- Buy from independently owned bottle shops/pubs
- Choose local, independent Australian-owned brands
- For a list of wines made by Coles and Woolworths under their private labels see Who makes my wine?
WOOLWORTHS
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WESFARMERS
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LIQUOR STORES
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Dan Murphy’s, BWS,
Woolworths Liquor, plus 316 hotels with 13,480 poker machines |
1st Choice, Liquorland,
Vintage Cellars, plus 96 hotels with 3,000+ poker machines |
IMPORTS UNDER THE NAME
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International
Liquor Wholesalers |
James Busby Fine Wine & Spirits,
Australian Beer Connoisseurs |
“HOUSE BRANDS”
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Beer: Platinum Blonde, |
Beer: Maxx Blonde, Tasman,
Hammer ‘N’ Tongs; Beer (imported): Bavaria; Cider: Newton’s; Bourbon: Evan Williams, Iron Horse, Kentucky Gold, Virgin; Gin: Mayfair, Lions; Liqueur: Ballymore, Cassidy Scotch: Hankey Banister, Heather Mist, John Samson Vodka: Volsk |
METCASH
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LIQUOR STORES
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Cellarbrations, Bottle-O, IGA Plus Liquor
(Metcash distributes to 15,000+ independently owned liquor retailers, yet doesn’t own any itself.) |
The alcohol industry has been repeatedly criticised for unethical advertising of alcohol to young people.
- 50 per cent of young people drink at risky levels.
- Underage drinkers contribute an estimated $217 million to the revenue of the alcohol industry.
- More than 4,000 deaths per year in Australia are attributable to irresponsible use of alcohol