Coles Launches Ice Cream for Pups in Supermarket Transformation

Coles Chatswood has launched an ice cream range for dogs—in an Australian supermarket first—as part of a move to tailor to the needs of the local community, following a successful expansion in Rose Bay earlier in May.
As Chatswood residents spend an average of 10 percent more on their pets compared to the rest of the country, the new Coles ensures Chatswood pooches are the envy of all other pups in town, with a pick-and-mix bar just for dogs, and a range of frozen pet food ice cream.
“Coles Local Chatswood is a brand-new neighbourhood supermarket destination with new products sourced from 35 small Sydney suppliers, and innovative features that customers may not have seen before,” Coles Chief Sustainability, Property and Export Officer Thinus Keevé said.
The supermarket also debuted Australia’s first bath and laundry refill station by allowing customers to use bottles made from recycled and sugarcane plastic, and eliminating the need for single-use bottles.
“As we make progress on our mission to be Australia’s most sustainable supermarket, we’re increasingly looking at new and inventive ways to reduce packaging on certain products,” Keevé said.
The range includes shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and laundry liquids from ecostore, a New Zealand home and body product company that focuses on using sustainable, plant and mineral-based ingredients.
Ecostore Managing Director Pablo Kraus said this was the first time an Australian supermarket had installed a refill station to reduce packaging waste.
“People are used to bringing in their reusable supermarket bags; now they can also bring in their reusable Ecostore refill bottles to conveniently refill their home and personal care products at the supermarket,” Kraus said.
Tailor-made to the significant Asian population in Chatswood, the launch also featured a dedicated aisle with the largest Asian range in Australia. ABS data showed that 25 percent of Chatswood residents were born in Asia.
The aisle includes more than 600 Asian products from popular brands such as Samyang and Lotte. The store now employs 25 bilingual staff to assist customers whose first language may not be English.