News and media releases

To celebrate its first ten stores phasing out single-use plastic carrier bags at checkouts today, Countdown has launched its Bag for Good programme, where for $1 customers may never need to buy another reusable bag.

Ten communities around New Zealand will help drive change for the rest of the country, with the first of Countdown’s stores to remove single-use plastic carrier bags from 21 May.

Countdown has today announced the recipients of its $150,000 Food Rescue Partners Contestable Fund, the second year this funding has been made available, and a $30,000 increase versus last year.

The contestable fund was established in late 2016 in response to feedback from food rescue charities that there is little financial assistance available to help the sector grow and thrive.

Countdown expects Kiwis to munch their way through more than 530 tonnes of Easter confectionery this holiday, that’s the equivalent of three empty Boeing 747’s. They are also anticipating Kiwis to get more than 13 million individual hot cross buns.

Countdown’s three Whangarei stores have gone plastic bag free at the checkout and online for the day and will be giving away free reusable bags in celebration of today’s release of two endangered marine turtles off the Whangarei coast, part of Countdown’s new partnership with Sea Life Kelly Tarlton’s Turtle Rehabilitation Programme, New Zealand’s only turtle rescue and recovery service. 

Dave has been with Countdown and Progressive Enterprises for 39 years in total, and has been Managing Director on two occasions, once between July 2011 and February 2015, and then again from Feb 2016. He also spent a year as Director of Woolworths Supermarkets in Australia.

Countdown is proud to have gained accreditation from White Ribbon for its ongoing work to support team and family members impacted by family violence.

To acknowledge the accreditation and to support the great work that both White Ribbon and Shine NZ does in the area of domestic and family violence, Countdown is donating $2,500 to White Ribbon and $2,500 to Shine NZ as part of Light It Orange awareness week (3 to 9 March), which aims to shine a light on domestic violence.

At Countdown, everyone counts, and that's why we’re proud to support the Auckland Pride Parade for the second year.

Lauren Voyce, General Manager Culture and People, says Countdown is currently working towards a Rainbow Tick accreditation as part of its ongoing commitment to LGBITQ+, and being part of the Pride Parade is another way of celebrating diversity within our team and communities.

January is already gearing up to be the hottest month in New Zealand since 1908, Kiwis around the country are doing everything they can to stay cool, hydrated and be sun smart.

Countdown has analysed their summer sales data to see what Kiwis are buying to help cope with the heat and its bottled water.

Countdown today released its report reviewing its inaugural set of health and nutrition targets introduced in 2017.  Countdown has also updated its targets for 2018.  Countdown’s health and nutrition commitments align with Retail New Zealand’s ‘Reducing childhood obesity’ pledges made in October 2016.