Coles Plans Major Job Cuts, Offshoring Hundreds of Corporate Roles to India
The Australian supermarket giant is reportedly set to outsource hundreds of positions in marketing, finance, HR, and technology to India through a partnership with Accenture.
Australian supermarket giant Coles is reportedly planning to offshore hundreds of corporate jobs to India as part of a significant outsourcing move. The company is expanding its partnership with Accenture to move roles across its marketing, finance, human resources, and technology divisions.
The deal, valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, could result in the loss of several hundred to over 1,000 local jobs, according to the Australian Financial Review. Most of the affected positions are expected to be transferred to India, with Accenture managing the remaining roles within Australia.
A Coles spokesperson stated that the company is "constantly exploring partnerships that help us unlock that capability at the scale and pace we need in an increasingly competitive environment, allowing us to … move faster, and deliver for our customers." Coles employs approximately 5,000 corporate staff.
This development follows recent reports that airline Qantas is also considering a similar outsourcing strategy. Qantas is reportedly exploring Project IQ, which would involve moving parts of its marketing, finance, human resources, and other back-office functions. A Qantas spokesperson acknowledged being in "early stage discussions" about modernization efforts, including the use of technology and AI, to "deliver better outcomes for our customers and our people." The airline stressed that no formal agreement has been reached and no decisions have been made, reaffirming its commitment to domestic employment and highlighting recent additions of thousands of operational roles in Australia.