In this section:
Our Promise
Coles is dedicated to sourcing the highest quality products for the best price. Our team searches far and wide, utilising local suppliers wherever possible, to bring you the freshest ingredients and the tastiest recipes, selecting only exceptional products for the Coles Brand.
We’re confident that our range is as good as anything else on the market and back this with Our Promise of a money back guarantee. Simply put, if you’re not happy with a Coles Brand product for any reason you can return it for a full refund.
Peace of mind has never tasted better.
Our Commitment to Quality
Coles is dedicated to sourcing the freshest produce and the best products for you to enjoy everyday. All our Coles Brand products undergo rigorous testing to ensure great taste, great value and nutrition.
We begin the search for new products by sending our 100 strong development team to source the best produce. Passionate about food, they’re always on the lookout for new ingredients, recipes and ideas.
Once everyone is back in the Coles Kitchen the real work begins. New recipes are compared, food is cooked, team members are invited to sample the results and the smell of fresh baked goods wafts through the air.
The cooking may be relaxed, but Coles takes its commitment to food seriously, putting each dish through a series of scientific (and not so scientific) tests. Does the aroma encourage early lunches? Does everyone gather around a particular dish?
Over 500 different products are tested every year, all of them subject to review, scrutiny and expert critique. While taste is obviously paramount, we also look at health and nutritional benefits. After all, good food should be both delicious and nutritious.
If a product passes the Coles Kitchen we invite our customers to try the results. Only once we get their approval do we look at bringing a new product to store shelves.
It’s a long process but we think the end results are worth it. We believe our Coles Brand range can stand up against anything else on the market. The industry seems to agree, with multiple awards won for products in our Coles Brand range, everything from ice cream and custard to smoked salmon.
For added peace of mind, all Coles Brand products come with our money back guarantee. Simply put, if you’re not 100% satisfied with any product you can return it for a full refund. Peace of mind has never tasted better.
Packaging
Coles are signatories to the National packaging covenant and are completing a review of its packaging to further understand where improvements can be made in terms of reducing packaging where possible and introducing more recyclable package formats.
Nutrition
Daily intake labelling for healthier food choices
When it comes to health and fitness every little bit helps; walking up the stairs rather than taking the elevator, getting off a stop early on the way to work, opting for the healthier lunch option.
Coles is serious about health and nutrition and we’re continually looking at ways to reduce salt, sugar and saturated fats in our Coles Brand products while still maintaining the great taste, value and quality.
To make your life easier and your choices clearer, we’ve introduced Daily Intake icons on our products to provide clear nutritional information. A small change to help promote health and wellbeing.
Colours, flavours and flavour enhancers
Coles is committed to providing our customers with natural and fresh food, including all the ingredients used in our Coles brand products. Since 2008, we have been actively removing artificial colours and flavours from our Coles brand products with the aim only using natural colours and flavours in all our products.
We have focussed on tartrazine (colour 102) , as one of the colours of concern in the ‘Southampton’ report, linking artificial colours with hyperactivity in children. There are less than 30 products remaining in our Coles brands range that still contain this colour.
Currently only around 5% of our Coles brand food products remain with any artificial colour. As part of our regular product reviews, we continue to remove and replace remaining artificial colours with natural alternatives to ensure our customers are provided with quality products that offer better value with more natural ingredients.
Salt
Most of us could do with a bit less salt in our diet and Coles is leading the way in contributing to a healthier lifestyle. We’re working to reduce the use of added salt and sodium in our Coles Brand products by an average of 25% by 2012 without compromising quality or taste. Coles support and are committed to the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health.
Fats
We’re working hard to minimise the levels of saturated fats (bad fats like animal fats and coconut oil) and avoid the use of ‘manufactured’ trans fats. We do this without compromising quality, value and taste.
Sugar
Added sugar is an ingredient that is found in a wide variety of pre-packaged foods. Wherever possible we are trying to minimise the amount of added sugars in Coles Brand products.
Fresh
We will always aim to provide you with the freshest produce possible. Coles will only offer fresh food that is of highest quality and we strive to ensure our food is ready for sale as soon as possible after it has been picked, caught, prepared or baked.
Preservatives
While fresh food is preferable it’s not always convenient. Sometimes we need to add controlled preservatives to selected Coles Brand products to deliver you a safe and unspoilt product. We don’t allow Calcium Propionate (282) to be used in newly developed Coles Brand products.
Genetic Modification
Coles Brand products do not use genetically modified ingredients.
Brand Facts
Myth: Coles Brand products are taking over the shelves. All my favourite brands are disappearing.
Fact: Coles Brands make up approximately 20% of our retail shelf space. Ultimately the choice between Coles Brand Products and other National Brands comes down to you, but we think you appreciate the option.
Myth: Coles Brands will never be as good as the product from leading brands.
Fact: All Coles Brand Products must undergo rigorous testing before they are approved. Over 500 items are developed and tested each year with only the very best making it on store shelves. Aside from our own in-house teams and rigorous testing, Coles Brand products are quality tested by families from the wider community. These results ultimately determine which items make the cut. We stand behind all our products and offer Our Money Back Promise, a guarantee that if anything doesn’t meet your expectations you can simply return it to the shop for a full refund.
Myth: Coles Brand products are just factory leftovers, packaged up and sold cheaper.
Fact: We have a team of almost 100 development experts and quality technologists, that partner with our suppliers to bring new products to our customers. Before any product hits the shelf, it must be tested thoroughly and meet our strict quality specifications and standards. Right now, our product developers and quality team are working hard to deliver over 900 new products for 2011.
Myth: Coles Brands are just for basic products, like flour and sugar.
Fact: The Coles Finest range represents premium flavour, aroma, texture and enjoyment and has won numerous industry awards. Our Coles Finest Madagascan Vanilla Bean Ice Cream won 2010 Product of the Year award in the frozen desserts category*, not to mention a Silver Medal at the 2010 Annual Australian Dairy Product Awards. *Survey of 5,000 people by TNS.
Myth: Coles don’t care about the environment at all.
Fact: We offer two product ranges dedicated to preserving the environment – Coles Organics and Coles Green Choice. Coles Organics is officially certified and offers a natural alternative. Coles Green Choice is formulated without the use hazardous chemicals and is 100% biodegradable.
Myth: Coles only sell Coles Brand products because they are more profitable.
Fact: In recent research, *44% of customers told us that they shop at Coles for our Coles Brand products. We will continue to stock Coles Brand products to offer value to our customers and give them just another of many great reasons to shop at our stores.
*BCG Research April 2009, survey of 2,000 customers.