Coles and Woolies target popular kitchen item in fierce customer loyalty battle

Australian supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths are setting their sights on shoppers' cookware cupboards in a bid to increase customer loyalty.

Both grocery retailers are rolling out new collectables promotions featuring high-quality cookware, which can be redeemed using loyalty points, with a combined four million pieces of cookware expected to be handed out over the next five months.

Coles was first off the mark, launching its KitchenAid cookware collectables promotion on February 4.

Want the official inside scoop on MAFS, unfiltered and unseen? Watch After The Dinner Party here

Coles Flybuys members can earn one cookware credit for every $20 spent when they scan their Flybuys card.

Additional bonus credits are available on participating products and brands such as Airwick, Always Fresh, Black Swan, Blackmores, Bref, Coke Classic, Cold Power, Coles Finest, Dettol, Fairy, John West, Lipton, Nescafe, Old El Paso, Optimum, Palmolive. Conditions apply.

The range includes frypans, saucepans, casserole pots, and utensils and also includes KitchenAid's mini food chopper.

Participating customers also go in the running to win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and Blender worth over $1,000, with one winner every day across the promotion period, instore and online.

READ MORE: Bunnings joins Uber Eats in massive delivery shake up

READ MORE: Quiet struggle Aussie shoppers face at the supermarket

READ MORE: I crunched the numbers on Easter egg prices

Coles Chief Customer Experience Officer, Michael Courtney said the latest collectables promotion is about delivering quality, value and inspiration in the kitchen.

"We're making it easier for customers to access high-quality KitchenAid cookware for free as part of their regular grocery shop, helping bring trusted performance into more Australian kitchens," he said.

"Our collectable program with KitchenAid allows us to offer customers durable, PFAS-free cookware that's made for everyday use and designed to make cooking at home more enjoyable."

"From everyday meals to cooking for family and friends, this range is designed to suit a wide variety of cooking styles and occasions."

Coles’ cookware promotion runs until May 19.

Woolworths has followed with an "exclusive" promotion that gives shoppers the chance to take home premium Fissler cookware at no extra cost.

They have recruited celebrity chef Hayden Quinn for this latest effort.

Woolies Everyday Rewards members can collect credits by scanning their Everyday Rewards cards to redeem six stainless steel cookware items including a wok, a casserole, and a turner.

The promotion begins on March 18 and runs until July 7, with Woolworths expecting to give away more than two million products over the course of the promotion.

Robert Glenn, Head of Collectibles at Woolworths, said: "We are always looking at how we can give our customers more value when they shop with us. With fresh food at the heart of our offer, what better way to help our customers than with free, quality cookware to bring their home cooked meals to life.

"It's clear - and our research shows - that our customers want quality cookware, but cost can get in the way of that. Fissler is a world-class brand, meaning our customers have the chance to get their hands on premium cookware as a bonus when they shop."

Maintaining customer loyalty has been a significant challenge for Coles and Woolworths, with the supermarket giants identifying "cross shopping" as an area of concern while delivery their Q4 financial results.

"Cross shopping" is a new grocery trend that sees Aussie shoppers visit both Coles and Woolworths to complete their weekly food shop to take advantage of each supermarket's weekly specials.

Around 35 per cent of consumers actively shop at a minimum of two different supermarkets to complete their weekly grocery shopping according to the ACCC.

Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices in Australia increased by 3.1 to 3.4 per cent annually as of late 2025, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics.

While inflation has eased from peak levels of over 7-9 per cent in 2023, prices for essential items continue to rise, with some estimations suggesting a 24 per cent increase in food and grocery prices since March 2019.

Gavin Northey, Associate Professor at the Department of Marketing at Griffith University, tells nine.com.au he thinks this new "cross shopping" or "two store" strategy as he calls it, is here to stay.

"Part of the reason for this is that Australian consumers are adopting a more pragmatic mindset and shifting their behaviour to maximise their shopping value," Northey said.

Today Money Expert Joel Gibson told Today Coles and Woolworths are "fighting back hard through their loyalty programs by giving big bonus points offers if you do a big shop with Coles and Woolies".

"And convenience is the main thing they sell," Gibson said.

"It would be easier to do all your grocery shopping at one supermarket, after all. It just isn't cost effective, and with grocery prices at an all-time high, Aussie shoppers simply can't afford to do this anymore."

Coles and Woolworths have launched collectables ranges for adults and children, with varying degrees of success.

Coles' most popular collectables ranges have included Harry Potter Magical Discs which launched in January 2025, Schott Zwiesel Glassware which ran from September 2025 and SMEG Kitchen Knives in September 2024 and a Curtis Stone cookware range.

2026 saw the return of Woolworths' popular Bricks promotions for kids. Past collectables have Their Spiegelau glassware promotions in 2019 and 2021 and cookware collaboration with Jamie Oliver.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.