Sensor Tower Insights with Australia’s Grocery App Market

Australia’s Grocery App Landscape: Downloads and WAU

• Coles and Woolworths stand out as the leading grocery apps in Australia, accounting for a substantial share of category downloads.

• Coles ranks No.1 by total downloads, reflecting its strong presence in the category.

• MILKRUN and Dan Murphy’s remain active participants in the grocery app landscape.

• IGA Rewards, launched on April 15, 2025, has nearly reached 200K downloads.

• Woolworths records the highest WAU among grocery apps in Australia, highlighting strong ongoing user activity. 

• Coles as one of the market leaders, also shows growth in WAU over the period, indicating increasing user activity within the app.

User Acquisition Channels for Coles and Woolworths

• Organic Search remains the primary source of downloads for grocery apps in Australia. Coles maintains a relatively stable share of downloads from Organic Search.

• Paid Search represents an increasing share of downloads within the overall acquisition mix. 

Promotional Campaigns for Coles & Woolworths

A notable increase in downloads for the Coles app was observed in late February. During this period, Coles ran the Harry Potter Magical Discs collectable campaign from January 22 to March 11, 2025, offering a two-disc pack for every $30 spent in-store or online. The campaign featured 72 collectible designs, including special editions and a rare disc.

Promotional offers for new users, such as $10 off the first Click & Collect order and free delivery, were also promoted through the app and online channels during this period.

Woolworths and BIG W launched the Minecraft Cubeez collectable campaign in Australia on January 29, 2025, followed by a New Zealand launch on February 12, 2025. 

Customers received one Cubeez for every $30 spent in-store or online. The campaign featured 40 collectible Cubeez inspired by Minecraft characters and blocks and ran until March 11, 2025, or while stocks lasted.

To commemorate 70 years of Disneyland Resort, Disney Discs (30 discs to collect) were available from 16 Jul to 26 Aug 2025 (or while stocks lasted) at Woolworths, BIG W, Metro and MILKRUN. Customers would receive a Disney Disc pack for every $30 spent in-store or online.

Common User Feedback Themes in Grocery Apps

User feedback for grocery apps in Australia highlights several recurring themes related to the in-app experience and order process.

App performance and technical stability User feedback frequently references issues related to app responsiveness, loading times, or occasional technical errors. Performance reliability remains an important factor for users completing time-sensitive grocery orders. 

Order and service experience Some feedback relates to challenges when modifying order details, managing pickup or delivery options, or completing order adjustments within the app interface. 

Interface design and usability Users occasionally mention navigation and usability considerations, particularly when browsing products, searching for items, or managing their shopping carts.

Payment and checkout processes Payment and checkout remain another commonly referenced area in user feedback, including issues encountered when finalizing purchases or processing transactions.