We have come to the end of our daily newsletters for 2019. And what a year it has been for FMCG news.
From Coles Little Shop to Woolworths Discovery Garden, we saw retailers bombard consumers with collectables campaigns.
Manufacturing took a hit with Nestlé, Kimberly-Clark and Unilever among giants to shut local facilities. Distribution centre workers and retail staff also faced job cuts as retailers banked on automation
Big names changed hands as internationals swooped in to buy up Carlton & United, Arnott’s and more, as potential local buyers struggled to compete on price.
It was also a year which saw retailers dig deep to better their online grocery offerings. Partnerships were a key focus of Coles’ strategy as the retailer joined forces with eBay, Ocado and Uber Eats. While Woolworths aligned with US eGrocery start-up, Takeoff Technologies, to speed up its processes through automated micro fulfillment centres
German discounter Kaufland expanded its presence in Australia, with stores on the way in at least three states. The retailer will be hoping to emulate the success of Aldi which has successfully won over Aussies with its low prices.
As we look toward 2020, we can expect an increasingly competitive landscape. In the January issue of Inside FMCG, we look at the trends set to dominate product innovation in the year ahead and chat with some of the game changers, breathing life into the industry.
Subscribe to the 2020 Outlook issue, coming out in January, here.
Our daily newsletters will return on January 6, and we look forward to seeing what 2020 holds.
As always, thanks for reading. Have a safe and happy holiday.
Ruth Hogan, editor, Inside FMCG.
