In response to a growing demand for digital shopping experiences, Coles has launched Coles-co, a new experience designed to offer customers specials and exclusive content about new products, tips and recipes.

From this week, customers can access Coles-co via the Coles website. Here they can also sign up to unlock new exclusive content and previews of weekly specials, including many at half price.

Coles Group CEO Steven Cain commented on the new digital experience, and the reasons behind the launch.

He says, “With COVID-19, we've really seen a shift to online shopping in the last few months, as lots of our customers try our contactless home delivery and Click-Collect services for the first time. We've also seen an increase of more than 50% in readership for our digital catalogue since March.

Cain says, “We are living at a time of unprecedented societal change, including a surge in the diversity of consumer tastes and dietary needs.

“As customers add more fresh food to their diet they're shopping more often, and their appetite for immediacy and digital information means a weekly, one-size-fits-all, catalogue in their letterbox is no longer as relevant for them as it once was.

On the platform itself, Cain says, “Coles-co features shoppable specials, allowing customers to do their shopping right from the screen. Just tap on a product to add it to your basket, and then check out via our online shopping services or save it as a shopping list to take with you when shopping in store.

According to Cain, Coles is investing more in digital capabilities, and is looking to make these experiences more personalised.

He says through Coles-co, customers could receive recipes that change daily rather than weekly, as well as tailored content on food and drink trends.

Cain says, “We will be investing more in digital content and capability for customers and suppliers, as well as better value by lowering the cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner, and improving our sustainability by reducing our reliance on paper.

“Coles chefs and other contributors, including customer favourite Curtis Stone, will eventually provide new content every day, including tips and tricks on how to make the most of in-season fruit and veggies, and recipes for quick, simple and healthy meals to help customers eat better while saving money.

In addition to the above, with the shift in customer preference towards digital communications, Cain states that from 9 September 2020 Coles will no longer deliver printed catalogues to letterboxes.

He says, “Since 2000 we have delivered around 200 billion pages of weekly catalogues to letterboxes across Australia.

"Ceasing the delivery of printed catalogues would save over 10,000 tonnes of paper every year, the equivalent of an estimated 80,000 trees.

“We're committed to being Australia's most sustainable supermarket, and reducing our reliance on paper by prioritising digital channels like Coles-co is a significant step towards that goal.

A reduced volume of printed weekly catalogues will continue to be available in store.