23rd June 2022 Countdown / SupermarketsCountdown has added a fourth Metro store to its New Zealand portfolio, opening the $50m outlet in Auckland’s Herne Bay.
16th June 2022 Campaigns / CountdownHundreds of thousands of dollars are at stake for food firms keen to launch products in Countdown.
7th June 2022 Countdown / PeopleHannifin is joining Air New Zealand in a newly created sustainability role.
7th June 2022 Countdown / WholesaleThe grocery group wants to know who could be using its wholesale service so it can gauge demand, and get suppliers in line too.
31st May 2022 Countdown / DistributionThe new facility will shore up its South Island chilled supply chain and comes just weeks ahead of the opening of its $150m Auckland Fresh DC.
27th May 2022 Countdown / WorkSafeThe agency makes clear its stance, allowing the promotional activity to occur in supermarkets.
26th May 2022 CountdownCountdown has opened its $18m Balclutha store after a year of construction.
24th May 2022 Countdown / Covid-19Food firms conducting the popular in-store promotion will have to think again after supermarkets suspend the activity.
16th May 2022 Countdown / SustainabilityApplications are now open for Countdown’s Growing for Good grants which puts $50,000 of funding up for grabs for students to combat climate change.
10th May 2022 Countdown / Impossible FoodsGE Free NZ is continuing its protest regarding the domestic sale of Impossible Burgers, this time writing to the Commerce Commission to make a complaint under the Fair Trading Act.
6th May 2022 Countdown / PricesThe Great Price Winter Freeze takes in mostly private label items, with a handful of independent brands, but what will happen if costs go up?
4th May 2022 Countdown / WoolworthsIts New Zealand business could see H2 earnings drop almost 30% due to escalating costs, even as grocery prices rise.
29th April 2022 Countdown / SupermarketsCountdown has opened its new 3,650 square metre store on Greville Road on Auckland’s North Shore.
12th April 2022 Countdown / SalesMore than 1.7 million packs and individual Easter eggs and 1.3 million packets of hot cross buns have been sold in Countdown stores across Aotearoa in the run up to Easter.
11th April 2022 Countdown / Supply ChainGovernment proposals would require organisations to take action if they become aware of modern slavery or worker exploitation.
8th April 2022 Countdown / SupermarketsThe 3,565 square metre store has been eight years in the planning, development and construction, said Countdown’s director of property, Matt Grainger.
22nd March 2022 Countdown / FoodstuffsFour Countdown supermarkets in Auckland had to temporarily close as a result of yesterday’s severe rain and flooding.
22nd March 2022 Countdown / Covid-19Hundreds of people are required to plug gaps in Countdown’s supply chain because of Covid-19 absenteeism.
8th March 2022 Countdown / EmploymentCountdown employees working alongside Australian colleagues shipped in to fill gaps in New Zealand stores and supply chains should immediately receive pay parity and be remunerated at the significantly higher rates of their colleagues from across the ditch, First Union says.
2nd March 2022 Countdown / FoodstuffsThe supply chain is being hammered with consumers warned to expect gaps.
1st March 2022 Countdown / Supply ChainEssential categories and lines will be prioritised as inbound product capacity at DCs is squeezed by Omicron absenteeism.
24th February 2022 CountdownLockdowns and higher food prices pushed Countdown’s first half food sales up 8.3% to more than NZ$4bn, according to Australian parent Woolworths.
17th February 2022 Charity / CountdownSupermarket chain Countdown has pledged $25,000 into helping the LGBTQI+ support organisation Rainbow Youth.
15th February 2022 Countdown / Covid-19Scan in, wear a mask, shop normally, be kind – a message from Countdown.
1st February 2022 Countdown / DistributionProposed Rolleston development could add a fifth DC to Countdown’s national network, with focus on fresh and perishable product lines.
9th December 2021 Countdown / SupermarketsFalling sales and rising operational expenses eat into pretax profit, even as it made saving on the products it sells.
29th November 2021 Countdown / EmploymentCountdown distribution centre workers at two Auckland sites have signed a new agreement that includes a 5% wage rise for the next year and a 3.9% increase for a reduced 9-month term in the following year.
24th November 2021 Countdown / VaccinationSupermarket chain Countdown has mandated the Covid-19 vaccine for staff, meaning its entire 21,000-strong workforce would need to be fully vaccinated by January 10.
19th November 2021 Charity / CountdownA record $150,000 worth of food has been donated in the first week of this year’s Foodbank Project Christmas appeal.
18th November 2021 Countdown / InnovationThe 12-month programme provides access to Countdown’s customer marketing and insights teams, as well as product development and manufacturing support.
12th November 2021 CountdownDeep sea cod has been given a Māori name, Moramora, which has been added to official te reo, following an an initiative between Countdown, te reo Māori advocacy group Ōkupu, MORE »
9th November 2021 CountdownCountdown says its supermarkets at Ferrymead, Ponsonby, Kilbirnie, Petone and Takapuna have started stocking cage-free eggs only.
2nd November 2021 Countdown / Covid-19The supermarket chain is consulting on a proposal that will see all of its 18,000 employees subject to a vaccine mandate.
28th October 2021 Countdown / SupermarketsLockdown helped drive growth in the supermarket group’s Q1 results with e-commerce surging.
18th October 2021 CountdownA new 3,860 square metre Countdown has opened in Hastings, developed on the same site as the original store built more than 30 years ago.
20th September 2021 CountdownCountdown is set to build a 3,490 square metre green star-rated supermarket in a 3.4-hectare residential development in Halswell, Christchurch – the supermarket chain’s largest development to date.
17th September 2021 CountdownA co-ordinated review of events leading to the terrorist attack that saw seven people injured at Auckland’s LynnMall Countdown on 3 September is to take place.
16th September 2021 ComCom / CountdownThe supermarket group also suggests changes to planning laws and the appointment of a grocery ombudsman with oversight of the $22bn sector.
13th September 2021 CountdownThe reformulation of Countdown’s own brand products sees 141 tonnes of sugar removed over three years.
10th September 2021 CountdownSupermarket chain Countdown hoped to re-open its LynnMall store today in Auckland today, but did not specify a time.
9th September 2021 Countdown / Covid-19The return to alert level two means all Countdown stores outside of Auckland will move back to their regular trading hours from today, 9 September.
7th September 2021 CountdownThe police have completed their scene examination at the Countdown and LynnMall shopping centre following Friday’s terror attack.
6th September 2021 CountdownCountdown has called in trauma psychologists who have met with staff who were working when a terrorist carried out an attack on shoppers in Auckland’s New Lynn supermarket on Friday.
3rd September 2021 Countdown / Covid-19Countdown stores throughout the Auckland region, from Pōkeno to Warworth, will open their doors to medical personnel, MIQ and emergency workers from 7am to 8am every day.
30th August 2021 Countdown / SupermarketsRevenue was down 6% in FY21, although online sales jumped more than 30%.
30th August 2021 Countdown / DistributionCountdown brings the opening of replacement centre forward eight weeks to help ease pressure in the North Island.
27th August 2021 Countdown / Covid-19More than 2100 Countdown staff members are isolating across New Zealand.
26th August 2021 Countdown / Covid-19The supermarket chain has more than 1,900 team members across Auckland and Wellington isolating and it expected that number to rise.
10th August 2021 CountdownThe $30m-plus Countdown to be developed in Auckland’s Manukau is the North Island’s first Green Star-rated store.
21st July 2021 Countdown / DigitalCountdown is launching its first South Island Metro store in Wānaka creating 14 new jobs in the Otago town.
16th July 2021 CountdownThe 12-week accelerator is focused on helping encourage a more diverse supplier base in Aotearoa.
30th June 2021 AF Drinks / CountdownEntrepreneur Lisa King’s non-alcoholic drinks company has secured shelf space in Countdowns across the country.
29th June 2021 Countdown / FoodstuffsNew Zealand’s two major supermarket groups say they are already taking steps to transition away from unnecessary and unwanted plastic use ahead of the government’s new measures to clamp down on single-use and difficult-to-recycle plastic by 2025.
16th June 2021 Countdown / FFNZ“We are actively looking for attributes and products that will drive health and wellbeing.”
4th June 2021 CountdownCountdown’s new 3,876 square metre Gisborne store has been officially opened by mayor Rehette Stoltz.
25th May 2021 CountdownCountdown supermarket chain is starting to make good on its 2017 announcement that it would go cage-free in all on-shelf eggs the end of 2025.
24th May 2021 CountdownCountdown added $25,000 to the annual grants total which saw $75,000 awarded to 71 schools and early childhood centres across the country.
17th May 2021 Countdown / IncidentCountdown’s Dunedin Central store, where four people were stabbed last week, is now open again but will have shorter trading hours for the next few days.
17th May 2021 CountdownThe Lower Hutt development includes an in-store pharmacy, bakery, deli and cellar, alongside the main supermarket which includes more than 1,500 new products.
12th May 2021 Countdown / IncidentPolice have examined the scene of Monday’s attack in the Dunedin Central Countdown supermarket on Cumberland Street, with “gathering evidence from the scene” noted as one of the top priorities.
11th May 2021 Countdown / IncidentA 42-year-old man has been charged with four counts of attempted murder.
31st March 2021 Charity / Countdown5c from every pack of hot cross buns sold was donated to KidsCan.
30th March 2021 CountdownThe supermarket has introduced Order Storage Retrieval units to its Moorhouse store at Christchurch.
4th March 2021 Countdown / EnvironmentIn its third year, Growing for Good grants aimed inspire New Zealand kids to learn about and preserve the environment.
14th December 2020 CountdownThe action comes as pay negotiations remain “unresolved”.
26th November 2020 CountdownCountdown’s general manager of digital was named in an event at the Civic Theatre in Auckland.
25th November 2020 CountdownThey took action after a “disappointing” settlement offer during negotiations.
23rd November 2020 CountdownThe NZ-owned company has set itself some lofty sustainability and diversity goals.
