How supermarket catalogue timing works in Australia (and how to use it)

The weekly catalogue cycle

Both Woolworths and Coles operate on a weekly promotions cycle. New catalogues and specials typically take effect on Wednesday and run through to the following Tuesday. This means:

• Wednesday to Friday is when the full range of weekly specials is available and stock is freshest.
• By the weekend, popular items — particularly meat on half-price promotion — can sell out at busy stores.
• Monday and Tuesday are the final days of the current catalogue; stock on promoted items may be limited.

Understanding this rhythm helps you time your shopping to access the widest range of specials before stock runs low.

When catalogues are released

Woolworths and Coles publish their weekly catalogues online and through their apps on Wednesday morning, at the same time the specials take effect in store. You can browse the full catalogue before heading out and identify which chain has the better price on your planned purchases that week.

Aldi operates differently — their regular grocery catalogue is less prominent, but Special Buys are released on Wednesday and Saturday in limited quantities. These are non-grocery and seasonal items that are not restocked once sold out.

How to use catalogues effectively

Browse before writing your list. Checking the current catalogue for both chains before writing your weekly list lets you plan meals around what is on special rather than finding out after you have already decided what to cook.

Focus on your high-spend categories. Meat, dairy, cleaning products and beverages are the categories where weekly promotions produce the most meaningful savings. Scanning these sections of the catalogue takes two minutes.

Do not chase specials on things you would not otherwise buy. A half-price promotion only saves money on items you would have purchased at full price. Buying something specifically because it is on special is spending, not saving.

Combining catalogues with online price tools

Catalogues show you the promotions at a single chain. Comparing both chains' current specials alongside everyday prices on specific products gives a more complete picture. A quick search on TrolleyChecker for the items you plan to buy this week can show whether the half-price special at your usual chain is actually better than the everyday price at another retailer — which is not always the case.

Our guide to understanding supermarket promotions covers the different promotion types — half price, Down Down, member prices — and what each one actually means.

Mid-week top-ups and catalogue timing

If you do a small mid-week top-up shop, note that you may be shopping across two different catalogue periods depending on which day you go. Items you saw on special at the start of the week may have reverted to full price after Tuesday, and a new set of specials will have started Wednesday. Checking the current catalogue before a mid-week visit avoids paying full price for something that was on special the day before — or missing a new promotion that just started.