Commonwealth Bank was named Australia’s most valuable brand, with Woolworths in second place and Coles in fourth. (Source: Getty)
Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has beaten out supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles to retain its spot as Australia’s most valuable brand. Despite coming under intense scrutiny over their prices, the supermarkets have still managed to remain in the top five spots.
CBA saw its brand value increase by 2 per cent to $16 billion, according to the annual report by Brand Finance Australia. The country’s biggest bank kept its top spot thanks to its steady revenue and core lending business, with home loan demands up 6 per cent.
“Alongside this, Commonwealth Bank has reduced its reliance on mortgage brokers, strengthening in-house loan origination to protect margins and reinforce long-term brand resilience in a competitive banking environment,” the report said.
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Woolworths held onto second place, after falling from the top spot last year, with its brand value increasing 19 per cent to $15.1 billion.
The report highlighted the supermarket’s Lower Shelf Price initiative, along with its investment in supply chains through the opening of new distribution centres.
Telstra came in third place at $12.4 billion, supported by strong mobile performance, followed by Coles in fourth place at $8.8 billion, and hardware giant Bunnings was fifth at $7.9 billion.
Coles jumped up in the rankings from fifth place last year, with the report noting the supermarket had reported higher sales and improved earnings driven by growth in its supermarket division and e-commerce momentum, with online sales up more than 20 per cent.
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Coles and Woolworths’ brand values both increased this year, after plummeting by a combined 31 per cent in 2024.
Brand Finance Australia managing director Mark Crowe said the two supermarkets had improved their brand strength and value by tackling reputational issues after the ACCC launched legal action over claims they misled consumers through discount pricing claims.
“Woolworths and Coles two years ago suffered a decline in value and strength, which was attributable to some of the negative media reporting and some of the questions that arose around reputational issues,” Crowe told The Australian Financial Review.
The ACCC recently put Coles and Woolworths on notice over new anti-price gouging laws coming into effect from July 1.
The ban will prohibit very large retailers from charging prices that are excessive when compared to the cost of the supply plus a reasonable margin.
Supermarkets could face fines of $10 million per breach, three times the value of the benefit derived, or 10 per cent of the company’s turnover during the preceding 12 months.
Commonwealth Bank up 2 per cent to $16 billion
Woolworths up 19 per cent to $15.1 billion
Telstra up 2 per cent $12.4 billion
Coles up 4 per cent to $8.8 billion
Bunnings Warehouse up 16 per cent to $7.9 billion
NAB up 6 per cent $7.9 billion
BHP up 5 per cent to $7.7 billion
ANZ down 13 per cent to $7.7 billion
Westpac up 36 per cent to $7.4 billion
Rio Tinto up 23 per cent to $6.8 billion
Australia Post was named the nation’s strongest brand by Brand Finance Australia, while Amcor was named the fastest growing brand with an increase of 62 per cent to $3.5 billion.
Brand value is the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market, while brand strength is the brand’s performance relative to its competitors.
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