Australian shoppers have spotted former Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci working the checkout at one of the supermarket giant’s metropolitan stores ahead of his retirement from the group.
Mr Banducci was seen behind the counter at Woolworths in Marrickville Metro in Sydney’s inner west on Sunday, just days after Amanda Bardwell officially took over responsibilities as group chief executive.
Mr. Banducci announced his retirement as chairman and CEO in February with an internal memo to staff, subsequently posted on LinkedIn.
“I have no intention of going away quietly overnight and look forward to working with all of you to help our customers spend less, to make us deservedly famous for the care we show our customers and each other and to continue to be better together,” he wrote in the letter.
Mr. Banducci now has a brief “handover” period following his official departure from the CEO role on the last day of August.
One shopper took a photo of Banducci’s day as an undercover cashier and claimed he was seen “getting a dressing down” from an older woman.
“The woman was attacking him for disguising herself as a wage earner and not paying her workers enough. Very accurate,” they wrote online.
Daily Mail Australia understands that Mr Banducci said the changeover went smoothly and there were no incidents with unhappy customers.
Former Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci was spotted at the Woolworths store in Marrickville Metro
“The lady was telling him off for dressing up as a salaryman and not paying his workers enough. Very accurate,” one online shopper said of Banducci’s interaction with a female customer at a Sydney Woolworths.
Woolworths says it is not uncommon for executives and corporate staff to spend time working in supermarkets to gain insight into the company’s day-to-day operations.
“It is common practice for our senior managers and support office staff to work in stores to support our store teams,” a Woolworths spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
“In fact, Woolworths Group has a program that requires all new employees in office positions, regardless of their role, to spend several days in a Woolworths Group store as an introduction to the heart of the retail business,” he said.
During his eight years as CEO, Mr Banducci has been known to visit stores around the time the group’s results are announced to provide additional commentary to investors and the media.
Mr Banducci made his final results announcement in August, revealing that supermarket prices fell by 0.2 per cent and 0.6 per cent in the March and June quarters respectively, and that he would spend his final weeks at the food giant working at a store in Marrickville and making home deliveries.
His formal resignation came in February, just days after a disastrous interview with the ABC’s Four Corners and after facing mounting criticism.The controversy over the supermarket giant’s role in increasing demand cost of living For Australians.
ABC journalist Angus Grigg questioned Mr Banducci about the lack of competition in the supermarket industry.
His line of questioning caused Banducci to storm out in the middle of the interview, though he returned later to finish recording.
Mr Banducci has experienced a meteoric rise to become CEO of Woolworths Group from his early days in consulting.
His most recent LinkedIn title reads: Woolworths Group CEO, February 2016 – September 2024, and Member of the Woolworths Team, September 2024 – present.
After announcing his retirement, he led a Senate inquiry into supermarket pricing and came under fire from Greens senator Nick McKim, who accused him of dodging questions about Woolworths’ profitability.
‘I think I’m done, guys’: Banducci walked out of an ABC Four Corners interview that aired in February
But Woolworths management praised Banducci as a great leader, citing record profits in recent years.
Group president Scott Perkins said at the time: “Brad has led a remarkable turnaround and transformation of the group.”
‘The test of any CEO is to leave the business in much better shape than when he started.
“By that simple metric, history will judge Brad as one of the best leaders of the Woolworths Group,” he said.
