Top 10 Retail Companies in Australia: Market Leaders Shaping Consumer Landscapes

Woolworths Group

Profile: Australia’s largest retail conglomerate (ASX: WOW) operating Woolworths Supermarkets, BIG W, BWS, and Dan Murphy’s. Focuses on food, liquor, and general merchandise.

Key Divisions & Services:

√ Woolworths Supermarkets (1,000+ stores): Fresh produce, dairy display refrigerators, multideck freezers

√ BIG W: Discount home, apparel & toys (180+ stores)

√ Endeavour Group (spun off 2021): BWS/Dan Murphy’s liquor chains

Innovation: AI-driven cold chain logistics; 100% recyclable packaging by 2027

Website:  www.woolworthsgroup.com.au

JB  Hi-Fi

Profile: Launched in 1974 as a hi-fi specialist, now Australia's #1 electronics retailer. Acquired The Good Guys (2016) to dominate appliances.

Key Products & Services:

√ Consumer electronics, gaming, home appliances

√ Tech support, extended warranties, business solutions

Website:  jbhifi.com.au

Coles Group

Profile: Supermarket rival to Woolworths (1914) with 2,500+ stores. Leads in local sourcing—40% produce from Aussie farmers.

Key Products & Services:

√ Groceries, Coles Finest premium line, Flybuys loyalty program

√ Liquorland, First Choice Liquor, and Coles Express petrol

Website:  www.colesgroup.com.au

Big W

Profile: Woolworths' discount division since 1964. Focuses on affordable family essentials, leveraging parent supply chains for cost efficiency.

Key Products & Services:

√ Apparel, homewares, toys, seasonal decor

√ Online "Click & Collect" across 180+ stores

Website: bigw.com.au

Chemist Warehouse

Profile: Leading pharmacy chain (300+ stores) renowned for discounts on health and beauty. Pioneered international e-commerce with China-focused haitao sales6.

Key Products & Services:

√ Pharmaceuticals, vitamins, skincare (e.g., Swisse, La Roche-Posay)

√ In-store clinics, flu vaccinations

Website: chemistwarehouse.com.au

Kmart Australia

Profile: Wesfarmers-owned discounter since 1969. Rebounded via minimalist homewares and apparel, rivaling Target and IKEA.

Key Products & Services:

√ Budget furniture (Anko brand), clothing, electronics

√ "Kmart Hub" online marketplace for third-party sellers

Website: kmart.com.au

ALDI Australia

Profile: German discount grocer (entered 2001) disrupted market with private labels. Wins on price and innovation (e.g., weekly "Special Buys").

Key Products & Services:

√ Groceries, Mama Cozzi’s frozen foods, Summit Popz prebiotic sodas

√ Wine awards (Exquisite Collection brand)

Website: aldi.com.au

IKEA Australia

Profile: Swedish flat-pack giant entered Australia in 1975. Combines physical megastores with compact city-center showrooms.

Key Products & Services:

√ Affordable furniture, kitchenware, smart home solutions

√ Planning services, assembly support, sustainable take-back program

Website: ikea.com/au

Metcash

Profile: Metcash is Australia's leading wholesale distribution group, founded in 1927 and headquartered in Sydney. The company was originally co-founded by independent food retailers to improve market competitiveness through large-scale procurement.

Key Products & Services:

√ Food wholesale: Supply fresh food, daily necessities and private label products (such as Macro Organic) to supermarket chains such as IGA.

√ Wine distribution: Provide wine and spirits through retail partners (such as Cellarbrations, The Bottle-O), and develop private label product lines.

√ Hardware tools: Total Tools provides professional tool wholesale for the construction and DIY markets.

Digital services: Launched the "Shop My Local" online platform to support the e-commerce transformation of community retailers.

Website: metcash.com

7-Eleven

Profile: 7-Eleven is the world's largest convenience store chain brand. It was founded in Texas, USA in 1927 (formerly known as Southern Ice Company) and is now a subsidiary of Japan's 7&I Holdings Group. As of 2025, there are more than 84,500 stores worldwide, covering the United States, Japan, Australia, Southeast Asia and other regions, with 24-hour operation and high-frequency convenience services as its core competitiveness5. It has 696 stores in Australia and is one of the important local retail networks.

Key Products & Services:

√ Convenience products: pre-packaged food, beverages (including exclusive Slurpee), snacks, alcohol and daily necessities58.

Convenience services:

√ Payment: water and electricity fees, traffic tickets, parking fees2.

√ Finance: ATM withdrawals, invoice redemption, EasyCard storage2.

√ Life: package delivery (home delivery), photo processing, hot drinking water provision25.

√ Special Events: Free Slurpees on the global "7-11 Day" (July 11); Australia also has a "Southern Hemisphere 7-11 Day" on November 75.

Website: 7-eleven.com (Global Headquarters)

Australian local service page: 7eleven.com.au