Coles push six packs

707 · Post by **707** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:38 pm

Heard on the news today that Coles are putting the heat on producers to pack everything in six packs for OH&S of store employees and customers.

Bet they screw them to pick up the additional packaging costs and bet Woolies follows suit.

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 9:24 pm

OH&S for a six pack. What a load of BS! As long as the boxes are less than 20 kg there is no OH&S issue.

Even the (original) Tintra only weights 1.53kg = 20 kg including the cardboard if they came in a twelve pack (which they don't) and wine doesnt get heavier than that; unless its ultra premium.

Nope, they have their own agenda here and are using OH&S as an excuse. My bet is its just more convenient for them if they are packed in 6's so that they dont have to split boxes for people buying 6 to get a discount.

KMP · Post by **KMP** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:32 am

Small piece in ABC Rural Small wineries say production costs could double if they are forced to put fewer bottles in cartons destined for supermarket shelves.

Mike

Glyndon · Post by **Glyndon** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:59 am

I was the Retail Manager at Pub Mooloolaba for the previous 4 and a half years, and the past 12 months have been the Retail Manager for Chancellors Tavern, at Sippy Downs on the Sunshine Coast. In March, the hotel was purchased by Coles, and the discussion then was they pressure being placed on suppliers by Coles for 6 Packs. It suits there marketing, the shelving requirements and stock levels, and as Coles always do, the "Health and Safety" issue is the barrow which they are pushing. I was offered the store managers role there, but declined as I had no wish or desire to work for Liquorland/Coles and moved on. After discussions with friends who stayed on, and have now left, my decision to move was vindicated. But yes, I see 6 Packs as being part of life in the near future and certainly Woolies will follow suit.

707 · Post by **707** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 8:38 am

Didn't fancy becoming a wine grocer then eh Glyndon?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:35 am

This has been on the cards for a while and looks like it might happen.....from memory the first issue of WBM had an article on the subject.

Cheers

Dave

bacchaebabe · Post by **bacchaebabe** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:33 pm

Interesting - personally, I think it's a good idea but I can see it would push costs for wineries up a little.

I get most of my wine delivered to work, seeing as how that's where I spend most of my waking hours, and it's a lot easier to get a six pack home than a dozen. If I get a dozen box, it means a cab home. Six packs I can (just) struggle home with (over 2 nights) on the train.

It's also a lot easier moving them around the cellar and a better buying option. Also, the six packs are usually packed lying down rather than upright, which again is better to store in the cellar.

Mal · Post by **Mal** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 1:50 pm

I also think it is a good idea, I have just moved house and with several hundred bottles I found lugging the six packs down 4 flights of stairs a lot easier then lugging a case of 12, by the time I got to the car I was almost ready to fall over. A six pack under each arm is much easier then one case.

Mal.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:09 pm

TORB wrote:Nope, they have their own agenda here and are using OH&S as an excuse. My bet is its just more convenient for them if they are packed in 6's so that they dont have to split boxes for people buying 6 to get a discount.

Whilst I am not against 6 packs being all the go, I do think you have summed up the real reason above.

I find them to be anything from a little more expensive to alot. I dont mind a little bit for the Fly Bys and bit More Australian ownership.

Trent

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 9:12 pm

707 wrote:Didn't fancy becoming a wine grocer then eh Glyndon?

That was one part of it. However, more so than that, I have seen so many good hotels and retail outlets ruined by the way Coles run things, and already that is happening at Chancellors. Retail, Bar and Bistro have already been halved from reports from friends still there, and just didnt care to become a Liquorland robot, and have no flair nor input into the wine sales, displays and customer service, all of which suffer at the hands of Liquorland.

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 5:14 am

Anonymous wrote:
I find them to be anything from a little more expensive to alot. I dont mind a little bit for the Fly Bys and bit More Australian ownership.

Trent

Trent,

Agree on the Aust ownership, we all need to support Aust owned companies, but then the independants would be 100% Oz owned too.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:17 pm

Couldn't agree more about the Coles/Woolies experience.Baily & Baily in Adelaide is the perfect example..When Woolies first bought them out they went to great pains to assure customers that nothing would change.
If I was passing by them,I always made a point of dropping into the Salisbury Park and Stirling Baily and Baily stores cos you could always find something different at a good price.
Well I was dismayed to find they've been turned into boring,characterless,BWS outlets and as a result I don't shop there anymore.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:57 am

Baily & Baily was a byword here in Adelaide for a wide and varied stock range, always supported new small makers, always an interesting wander around, good knowledgable staff.

Taken over by Woolies on the promise nothing would change. Only took months for the six stores to morph into BWS & Dan's. The former are so much crap.

Needless to say I don't think a single member of staff stayed, check out chicks/boyz now in place.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:57 pm

And Chancellors Tavern where I was Retail Manager is exactly the same. All my staff have moved on, and it now lurches from one disaster to another. Thank God that their are still independents out there.

707 · Post by **707** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 1:18 am

Sad isn't it. You live in an area where you have a great retailer, one of the grocers comes along and offers them a fistful of dollars, next thing you've got a BWS.

So you now travel further afield to shop only the same thing happens and that becomes a Liquorgland.

Thank Bacchus for the online retailers like our board owner who fill the breach admirably, just that we can't wander around fondling bottles at the local any more as was our wont. I mean you wouldn't go to a BWS to fondle a Wyndham Bin 666 would you ??