Do we like Woolworths Group?
Australia's biggest supermarket operator (also BIG W, Everyday Rewards, NZ stores), based in Bella Vista, Sydney
Our score: 4 out of 10. Does real good on renewables and food donations, but the wage underpayments, the live ACCC pricing case and deforestation questions make us wary of backing them.
Woolworths is Australia's largest supermarket operator. Its CEO since September 2024 is Amanda Bardwell, who joined in 2001 and built the digital arm WooliesX. She took over from Brad Banducci. Scott Perkins chairs the board.
The wage scandal is the big stain. In 2019 Woolworths admitted underpaying thousands of supermarket workers and said it might need to repay up to A$300 million. The Fair Work Ombudsman later sued over salaried managers' pay. In 2025 the Federal Court found Woolworths and Coles had failed to keep accurate employment records, and ABC reported that both expected to spend hundreds of millions more on repayments.
Then there's pricing. The ACCC alleges Woolworths temporarily raised the prices of at least 266 products before putting them on 'Prices Dropped' at prices higher than or equal to the earlier price. The Federal Court trial began in April 2026. Woolworths denies it and says supplier cost rises drove the prices and the discounts were real. We've found no judgment yet.
On the plus side, Woolworths' 2026 annual report says it reached 100% renewable electricity across Australia and New Zealand in December 2025. It also reports a 45% cut in Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared with F23. Its own sustainability reporting also shows large food-donation and community programs.
At the October 2026 AGM, shareholders representing groups including the ACF and Greenpeace challenged Woolworths on deforestation and beef sourcing. Chair Perkins defended the policy but said part of the supply chain needed more work. Overall we'd call it a mixed bag, leaning cautious, hence a 4.