In the competitive world of retail, the reputation of a brand is everything. Interestingly, a recent survey has revealed that supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles have experienced a significant decline in brand value.
The annual survey conducted by Yahoo Finance, which polled over 4,600 readers, has brought to light the extent of the damage. 46 per cent of the respondents indicated they would shop less at Woolworths and Coles due to allegations of price gouging and deceptive pricing tactics.
This sentiment is echoed in the findings of Brand Finance Australia, an independent brand valuation consultancy, which has reported the ‘biggest drop’ in brand value for the two supermarkets in recent memory.
Woolworths’ brand value is currently listed at $12.7 billion (down from $15.4 billion in 2024), with Coles at $8.4 billion (down from $9.8 billion in 2024). Compared to the previous year, both supermarkets have experienced a combined 31 per cent decrease in value, or $4.1 billion.
However, according to Mark Crowe, managing director of Brand Finance Australia, while the supermarkets have seen a ‘very significant’ drop in their brand values, this did not necessarily translate to a decrease in sales.
Woolworths and Coles still hold strong positions in the market, ranking second and fifth respectively in terms of brand value.
The top five most valuable companies in the country, as revealed by Brand Finance Australia, now see Commonwealth Bank leading the pack, with Woolworths and Coles trailing behind.
Crowe points out that for many consumers, the choice of supermarket is often dictated by convenience and location rather than reputation. However, he warns that if Woolworths and Coles fail to address their reputational issues, it could eventually lead to a substantial hit to their revenues.

The criticism faced by Coles and Woolworths was reportedly fueled by customer complaints over price hikes on staple items.
According to Finder data, groceries have become one of the top three most stressful expenses for Australians, a ‘noticeable increase’ from pre-pandemic levels. Taking notice of this data, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched federal court proceedings against the supermarkets for allegedly breaching Australian consumer law.
The ACCC accuses Woolworths and Coles of inflating prices on certain products without a corresponding increase in purchase prices and then promoting these items as part of their ‘Prices Dropped’ and ‘Down Down’ discount campaigns, respectively.
This has reportedly affected ‘tens of millions’ of products which they gained ‘significant revenue’ from.
In response to ACCC’s claims, Woolworths stated it will ‘carefully review’ the allegations, and Coles intends to ‘defend the proceedings,’ emphasising their commitment to compliance with Australian consumer law.
We at YourLifeChoices encourage our readers to share their thoughts and experiences on this matter.
Have the allegations surrounding Woolworths and Coles affected your shopping habits? Join the conversation in the comments below and let us know how you navigate the supermarket aisles in light of these.
Also read: ‘Entitled’ act supermarket shoppers do causes stir–are you guilty?
And no wonder when the price of some grocery items I regularly purchase has risen by over 50% in the last 12 months.
eg Cat food went from $3 a kg to $5 a kg. Dog food from $11 an 8kg bag to $19 for an 8kg bag.
Dark chocolate from $4 a block to $7 a block.
I could go on but that’s enough.