Australia Day: Coles, Woolworths, Big W, Kmart, Bunnings and pubs make big call on merchandise, celebrations

As January 26 approaches, it appears sentiment has shifted in the years-long debate over changing the date of Australia Day.

As has the approach of retailers selling merchandise to help celebrate the national day.

After becoming one of the major battlegrounds for the change-the-date debate in recent years, some retailers are proudly offering Aussie products in store to customers, while others don’t but are still quietly make a profit from online only sales through their websites.

In October, data from the Institute of Public Affairs found 69 per cent of Australians favoured keeping Australia Day on January 26.

Data from The Australian Institute from 2018 found 49 per cent of Aussies felt Australia Day should not be on a day that is offensive to First Nations people, but only 37 per cent agreed January 26 was offensive.

In just the last week, data has been released that found one-third of younger Australians oppose January 26 being an optional public holiday, a now-common business practice of allowing employees to swap the day off for another day.

In the past, Australian retailers and venues have been the targets of public anger after taking a strong position on either side of the debate. This could be by either pulling merchandise from shelves, or by selling it.

Big names like Kmart, Woolworths, Big W and Australian Venues Co were all swept up in consumer outcries, with some even “boycotted”.

But now, the tide appears to have changed as Australia Day-themed wares hit shelves and celebrations are planned.

Coles, Woolworths and Big W on Australia Day

Coles, Woolworths and Big W all confirmed they are selling Australia Day-themed merchandise this year, some stock even proudly displayed in catalogues.

“We will be stocking a range of summer entertaining merchandise throughout January, as we have done previously. The range will offer a variety of items for customers looking to entertain with BBQs, parties, picnics or for those attending sporting events like the cricket and tennis, as well as for the Australia Day weekend,” a Coles spokesperson told The Nightly.

Woolworths Group, which includes Woolworths supermarket and Big W, have a different approach for each brand.

“Like last year, our stores will have ‘Perfect for Australia Day’ sections,” a Woolworths spokesperson told The Nightly.

“In our Supermarkets these sections will focus on food that is perfect for the day, while BIG W will showcase products perfect for family and friends coming together over the Australia Day long weekend.

“These sections will also include Aussie-made flags that are sold all year round, as well as a range of paper plates and cups that were introduced into stores at the start of summer. This range of picnicware features unique designs including Australian animals, recognisable local symbols and icons, and the Australian flag.”

Woolworths will also be celebrating the day in-store over the Australia Day long weekend, offering “fresh fairs” to customers who wish to sample iconic Aussie food products. Woolworths has even put an Australian flag made up of Aussie fruit on the front of their catalogue.

Are you happy with these Australia Day offerings? Let us know in the comments below.

Bunnings out, Kmart, Target tight-lipped over Australia Day

Wesfarmers-owned brands Kmart and Target did not respond to The Nightly’s questions over Australia Day-themed merchandise in stores.

Kmart stopped selling Australia Day-specific merchandise in stores back in 2023, saying at the time it was opting instead to offer all-year-round Australia merchandise, which focused on native flora and fauna.

The move was celebrated by some for creating a more inclusive shopping experience, whilst others threatened to stop spending their money altogether at Kmart.

Bunnings, the cultural home of the Australian sausage sizzle, confirmed that they are not selling dedicated Australia Day merchandise in stores, telling The Nightly this was no different than previous years.

Both Kmart and Bunnings, which have a marketplace online-only third-party sale selection on their websites, list multiple Australia Day-themed items, including sparkly dresses, costumes and flags, but clearly state the items are not for sale in store, with purchases managed through a marketplace business.

Bunnings and Kmart make money from the marketplace offerings on their websites, with businesses that they partner with charged monthly fees in some cases.

Do you think Australia Day merchandise should be offered in these stores? Let us know in the comments below.

Major pub group says venues know best

Australian Venues Co, which in 2024 sparked outrage for “banning” Australia Day celebrations across its 200+ venues before apologising and back-flipping to allow festivities, said individual venues know their communities best and would choose how to manage the day.

“Having listened to feedback throughout the year, we acknowledge that our venues are closest to their local communities and are best placed to choose how they recognise the day with their patrons,” an Australian Venues Co spokesperson told The Nightly.

“We operate our pubs for the community to enjoy – which means everyone is welcome in our pubs.

“We’ve always been open over (the) Australia Day long weekend and will continue to do so.”

Changing the date

Amnesty International has dedicated resources on its website called “Invasion Day toolkit”.

“For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities January 26 is a day of mourning, marking the start of the invasion and colonisation of this country, the mass genocide of First Nations peoples, and the dispossession of cultural practices, language and Country,” the group’s website says.

“First Nations communities have different names for January 26, including Invasion Day, Survival Day and Day of Mourning.

“Invasion Day is an important time to stand in solidarity with First Nations people in their calls for justice on this land.

“It’s a time to listen to the community, to truth-telling, and to answer the calls for support.”

National advocacy group ANTAR has published an extensive list of Invasion Day/ Survival Day events that are planned across Australia for January 26, with meet-ups, rallies and protests listed in most capital cities.

January 26 marks the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Bay in 1788. The date did not nationally become Australia Day until 1994.