Coles helps Wesfarmers retail sales rise 5.6pc to $13.8b in March quarter

Wesfarmers has underlined the challenge ahead for Woolworths by delivering another quarter of strong sales growth at Coles, Kmart and Bunnings and by finally reversing declines in its liquor business.

Coles sank another $150 million during the March quarter into cutting everyday shelf prices for staples such as roast chicken, Colgate toothpaste and Kleenex tissues – luring a record number of customers through its checkouts and boosting same-store sales by almost 5 per cent.