The surprising product making Woolworths rich

The Aussie supermarket war between Coles and Woolworths is an ongoing battle, but it turns out the supermarket giants aren’t just kings of groceries – there is another industry where their combined market share is even greater.

According to new data by research firm Roy Morgan, of Australia’s $15.5 billion dollar alcohol market, nearly 75% is purchased in Australian supermarkets.

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In fact Woolworths Group alone accounts for a whopping 50.1% of the total amount spent on packaged alcoholic beverages in an average week.

Woolworths Group (which includes Woolworths, Dan Murphy’s, and BWS) increased their market share of the alcohol retail market by 1.5% in the 12 months to March 2018.

Dan Murphy’s had the biggest increase of share of market for Woolworths Group, up 1.2% in the 12 months to March 2018.

“Woolworths Group now has over half of all dollars spent on packages alcohol in an average seven day period,” Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine said.

Meanwhile, Coles Group saw a small decline in share of market for Alcohol retail, with the decline attributed to small gains in share for Liquorland and Vintage Cellars and a drop of 1.2% in share of market at First Choice.