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Coles-Opening-Hours: Supermarket Chain Adjusts Service Counter Times Amid Efficiency Drive By Our Business Correspondent SYDNEY – Coles, one of Australia’s largest supermarket chains, has initiated a nuanced change to its operating model, specifically tailoring its service counter opening hours in response to shifts in consumer behaviour and an increased focus on operational efficiency. The move, which sees the designated closure of manned deli counters at selected stores across the country earlier than the general store closing time, is the latest demonstration of how major Australian retailers are using real-time data to recalibrate the traditional supermarket experience. The core change focuses on the fresh food service area, where many Coles outlets are now closing their deli counters at 8:00pm (22:00 AEST), regardless of the store's broader trading schedule, which often extends until 10:00pm or later in metropolitan areas. This decision directly impacts the availability of bespoke services, such as purchasing sliced meats or cheeses by weight after the early evening threshold. A spokesperson for Coles confirmed the adjustment, stating the decision was data-driven and aimed at aligning staffing with peak customer demand. "We know that most of our customers prefer to shop at our delis before 8:00pm," the spokesperson noted. "As a result, we are tailoring the opening hours of some of our delis to when our customers shop the most. " This strategic recalibration of service-specific coles-opening-hours is not unprecedented. It follows the retailer’s earlier move to permanently close in-store butcheries at many locations in recent years. Analysts suggest these incremental changes reflect a broader industry trend where high labour costs associated with late-night, low-volume service transactions are being scrutinised to boost overall profitability.
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“The modern supermarket operation is an exercise in marginal efficiency,” explains Dr. Eleanor Vance, a retail economics analyst based in Melbourne. “For a national chain like Coles, even saving one hour of counter staff wages across hundreds of stores amounts to millions annually. When sales data shows that the return on investment for keeping a deli open after 8:00pm is minimal, the logical business decision is to shift to pre-packaged alternatives to meet that residual late-night demand. ” Indeed, customers are still able to purchase sliced meats, cheeses, and antipasto from convenient, pre-packaged selections located in refrigerated cabinets near the service area—a clear sign that the chain is shifting the labour component of these products to earlier production or central preparation facilities. The Regulatory Challenge and Coles' Strategy While these service-specific adjustments are internal decisions, the overall framework of Coles' opening hours remains heavily influenced by Australia’s complex, state-based retail trading regulations. Unlike the United Kingdom or the United States, which largely operate under national standards, trading hours in Australia are dictated by individual state and territory laws, leading to significant inconsistencies for national operators. States like Victoria have largely deregulated trading hours, allowing Coles and its competitors greater flexibility to open early and close late, often resulting in 24-hour trading being a viable option in some areas, or general closing times extending to midnight. However, restrictive regulations remain firmly in place in jurisdictions like South Australia and Western Australia, particularly concerning Sundays and public holidays. In these states, major retailers are frequently mandated to close, or operate within narrow windows, while smaller, independent stores are exempt.
Coles has historically been a strong advocate for a national harmonisation of trading hours, arguing in submissions to the Productivity Commission that the lack of consistency creates costly regulatory burdens and inhibits consumer choice. The impact of physical trading hour restrictions, they contend, is increasingly frustrating for consumers who can purchase the same products online at any hour of the day. This regulatory disparity means that the flexibility of Coles-opening-hours remains a key competitive lever. In states where deregulation permits, Coles has often maintained longer general operating times than its primary competitors, a strategy employed to capture market share, particularly against the rising challenge posed by discount chains. A review of NSW trading patterns, for instance, shows Coles stores more frequently trading until midnight than rivals in high-density areas, suggesting an active decision to maintain this convenience differentiation. The Legacy of Adaptation The recent shift towards operational tailoring follows a period of heightened volatility for trading times. During the initial phases of the global pandemic in 2020, Coles dramatically altered its schedules, notably implementing a 'Community Hour' between 7:00am and 8:00am on weekdays. This hour was dedicated exclusively to elderly, vulnerable, and essential workers, providing them with safe access to groceries amid supply chain pressures and panic buying. As the situation stabilised, these restricted trading periods were swiftly reversed, with almost 200 stores expanding trading hours, including opening earlier at 6:00am, to disperse customer traffic and ease pressure on families and remote workers. "The COVID-19 era demonstrated Coles' capacity for rapid operational shifts, proving that the fixed trading schedule is now an agile variable," Dr.
Vance points out. "The current move to refine service hours is simply applying that agility to a micro-level, targeting specific departmental inefficiencies. " Outlook for Consumer Convenience The trend towards flexible, data-driven coles-opening-hours is expected to continue. While the general accessibility of Coles supermarkets remains robust, particularly in major urban centres, the focus is clearly shifting away from full-service, late-night counter staff and toward seamless digital integration. By curtailing late-night deli services, the supermarket chain is subtly encouraging the use of pre-packaged convenience options, which align with modern shopping habits often characterised by speed and reduced human interaction. This move simultaneously allows the retailer to direct labour resources to more profitable parts of the operation, such as managing supply chains, executing online orders, or stocking shelves during quieter hours. Ultimately, the future of Coles’ operating schedule is likely to be defined less by broad, fixed timings, and more by granular, hyper-local adjustments made in real-time, balancing the demands of customer convenience against the imperative of shareholder return.
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