Woolworths' Disney collectibles campaign lifts Australian food sales 7.6 per cent

Woolworths Group has posted a 7.6 per cent jump in Australian food sales for the first eight weeks of the 2027 financial year, powered in part by its Disney Ooshies collectibles campaign that contributed an estimated 1.5 to 2 percentage points of growth.

The surge marks a sharp acceleration from the 4.6 per cent sales growth Woolworths recorded across the entire 2026 financial year. The promotional campaign's impact was felt across the competitive landscape, with rival Coles Group explicitly citing a "competitor's collectibles campaign" as a drag on its own momentum in July.

Coles feels the pinch

Coles reported supermarket sales growth of almost 4 per cent and said it gained market share in the year through June, but acknowledged the slowdown during the period when Woolworths' Ooshies promotion was running.

High stakes behind collectibles

Jefferies analysts Michael Simotas and Naveed Fazal Bawa said Woolworths' supermarkets had "a very strong start" to the financial year, "with solid underlying growth compounded by the Ooshie benefit".

The numbers highlight the financial stakes behind promotional tactics that might appear superficial. The battle for shoppers comes as Australia's dominant grocers face mounting public scrutiny over pricing practices.

Coles and Woolworths have become lightning rods as cost-of-living pressures and discount scandals fuel anger over whether customers are getting a fair deal. The competitive intensity underscores how both chains are fighting to lure shoppers amid growing scepticism toward some of Australia's most prominent consumer brands.

Source: South China Morning Post