UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT 1934
For the month of May, 2003
COLES MYER LTD.
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
800 TOORAK ROAD, TOORONGA, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
Form 20-F X Form 40-F
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pusuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes No X
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorised.
COLES MYER LTD.
(Registrant)
By /s/ R F BENNETT
(Signature)
ROBERT F BENNETT
COMPANY SECRETARIAT MANAGER
Date May 27, 2003
Tuesday, 27 May 2003
Media Release
Customers the winners from Coles Myer - Shell alliance
Coles Myer Ltd (CML) and Shell today announced a commercial alliance designed to provide their customers with Australia's biggest and most convenient discount fuel offer.
The Alliance, when fully rolled-out, will see a CML subsidiary become the operator of Shell's core retail property network of 584 service stations across Australia.
Coles Myer will set pump prices as well as offer CML customers fuel discounts. Both members of the Alliance have a shared interest in maintaining competitive pump prices as this is critical in driving sales.
The Alliance is planned to begin in July 2003 at more than 150 sites in Victoria. Given a successful Victorian rollout, the Alliance is expected to be progressively extended nationwide by mid calendar 2004.
Shell will supply fuel products and service station properties and the sites will be branded both Coles Express and Shell. CML will purchase the rights to operate Shell sites from Shell multi-sites franchisees for a total amount less than $100 million.
Coles Myer Chief Executive Officer John Fletcher said: "We will be offering our customers a fuel discount when they make purchases over a certain amount at Coles, Bi-Lo and Liquorland. When the Alliance is fully rolled out, the discount will be available at a large national network of conveniently located petrol stations throughout Australia. The vast majority of the stations will be very close to our supermarkets, offering great convenience for our customers.
"The discount offer for our supermarket customers can be summarised as: high quality fuel at discount prices from a large number of sites in great locations," Mr Fletcher said.
The Alliance also creates a significant new business opportunity for Coles Myer in convenience stores. Mr Fletcher said Coles Myer would be applying its retail expertise and economies of scale to these operations.
The Alliance will contribute to CML in excess of $3 billion in additional annual sales when fully rolled out. The combined impact of the new fuel and convenience store business will be earnings per share positive in the 2004 financial year.
Mr Fletcher said the Alliance gave CML a fast and cost effective fuel rollout with substantially less investment than if it were starting a greenfields business.
"Coles Myer's extension into petroleum and convenience store retailing will complement our existing grocery retail business, create and drive sales, and reward customers for shopping with us," Mr Fletcher said.
"The Alliance will see the creation of a new petrol and convenience store division within Coles Myer. The vast majority of the existing franchisees' staff are expected to become part of that division, providing expertise on the ground from day one."
Shell Vice President Retail Marketing Asia Pacific/Middle East, Bruce Rosengarten, said the Alliance brought together Australia's most preferred fuel brand with one of Australia's largest retailers.
"The Alliance is a great match of retail and petroleum industry expertise - it will provide a very attractive consumer offer," Mr Rosengarten said.
"We will provide customers with exactly what they want - high quality fuels sold at competitive prices from convenient locations.
"On full rollout, motorists will have easy access to a broad national network where more than 80 per cent of Coles and Bi-Lo supermarkets are within 5 kilometres of an Alliance site. In capital cities, the average is 90 per cent.
"Most importantly, these sites are well known to millions of Australians as the home of highly respected fuel brands including Shell Optimax.
"This Alliance will be a pro-competitive initiative which will extend the availability of fuel discount offers to more consumers."
Shell Australia Chairman Tim Warren said the Alliance was a leading initiative for Shell and clearly demonstrated the company's commitment to maintaining a significant retail presence in Australia.
The Alliance is subject to ACCC approval.
Fact sheets:
----////----
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Coles Myer: Scott Whiffin: 03 9829 5548 or 0407 850 709
Shell Australia: Helen Morgner: 03 8823 4070 or 0417 007 344
ANALYST ENQUIRIES:
Coles Myer: Amanda Fischer: 03 9829 4521
How will the alliance work
Fact Sheet 2
How customers will be the winners
When the Alliance is fully rolled out:
From day one of the Alliance:
Fact Sheet 3
How grocery and petrol retailing competition will increase
Fact Sheet 4
The New ALliance network details
When the Alliance is fully rolled out:
Proposed Alliance site numbers are:
State |
Coles supermarkets |
Bi-Lo supermarkets |
Alliance service stations |
NSW (inc ACT) |
143 |
67 |
183 |
NT |
4 |
3 |
10 |
QLD |
92 |
35 |
119 |
SA |
35 |
40 |
37 |
TAS |
14 |
15 |
|
VIC |
112 |
48 |
158 |
WA |
79 |
62 |
|
|
479 |
193 |
584 |
Fact Sheet 5
WHAT WILL THE SITES LOOK LIKE
[Photograph of service station site]
To download a high resolution image of this photograph go to: www.shell.com.au/mediareleases
Fact Sheet 6
background on coles myer and shell
The Alliance participants are subsidiaries of Coles Myer Ltd and Shell Australia Limited respectively.
Coles Myer Ltd. (CML)
Coles Myer operates eight of Australia's favourite retail brands across 1800 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand.
These include traditional department stores (Myer Grace Bros) and discount department stores (Target and Kmart), supermarkets (Coles and Bi-Lo), liquor retailing (Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and Quaffers), office supplies (Officeworks, Viking), direct marketing and electronic retail businesses.
CML, one of Australia's leading retail businesses, trace its origins back to one of Australia's foremost retailers - G.J. Coles (est. 1914) and the Myer Emporium (est. 1900). The two companies merged in 1985.
CML employs 164,000 people.
Shell Australia Limited
Shell Australia Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies. Shell has operated in Australia since 1901. It directly employs approximately 2200 people.
Shell operates an upstream oil and gas business, Shell Development Australia Ltd, as well as a downstream oil products business. Shell's oil products business includes: