Woolworths and Coles indicate additional expenses following ruling on staff underpayments
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Sep 08 2025
0mins
Source: Reuters
Remediation Costs for Supermarkets: Australia's major supermarket chains, Woolworths and Coles, anticipate incurring millions in additional remediation costs due to a federal court ruling on historical underpayments to staff, with Woolworths estimating A$180 million to A$330 million and Coles estimating A$150 million to A$250 million.
Background of the Case: The case, initiated by the Fair Work Ombudsman in 2020, claims that the two companies underpaid nearly 27,000 workers, with their internal remediation efforts significantly underestimating the total owed.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
