Shoppers were stunned at who they found behind the checkout at their local Woolworths – as one makes an extraordinary claim
Australian shoppers have spotted former Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci behind the till at one of the supermarket giant’s metropolitan stores ahead of his retirement.
Mr Banducci was spotted behind the counter at Woolworths in Marrickville Metro in Sydney’s west on Sunday, just days after Amanda Bardwell officially took over as group CEO.
Mr. Banducci announced his retirement as Managing Director and CEO in February via an internal memo to staff, later posted on LinkedIn.
“I have no intention of going quietly into the night and look forward to working with all of you to help our customers spend less, to become rightfully known for the care we provide to our customers and each other, and to continue to improve together,” he wrote in the letter.
Mr Banducci now has a short ‘handover period’ after officially stepping down from the CEO role on the last day of August.
A customer took a photo of Mr. Banducci, who was working as a cashier, claiming he had been caught “groping” an elderly lady.
“(The) lady attacked him for posing as a wage earner while not paying his employees enough. That’s a piece of cake,” they wrote online.
Daily Mail Australia has learned that Mr Banducci reported the move went smoothly and there were no incidents involving dissatisfied customers.
Former Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci was spotted at Woolworths’ Marrickville Metro outlet
“(The) lady attacked him for posing as a wage earner when he wasn’t paying his employees enough. Exactly right,” one shopper claimed online about Mr Banducci’s interaction with a customer at a Woolworths store in Sydney
According to Woolworths, it is not uncommon for managers and company staff to spend time in supermarkets to gain insight into the day-to-day running of the business.
“It is standard practice for our senior management and office staff from our support offices to work in stores to support our store teams,” a Woolworths spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
“Woolworths Group has a program where all new employees in office-based roles, regardless of their role, are required to spend a number of days in a Woolworths Group store as an introduction to the heart of retail,” she said.
During his eight years as CEO, Mr. Banducci regularly visits the stores when the group’s results are announced, to provide investors and the media with additional information.
Mr Banducci released his final results in August, saying prices at the supermarket had fallen 0.2 per cent and 0.6 per cent in the March and June quarters respectively. He was expected to spend his final weeks at the supermarket giant working in a Marrickville store and doing home deliveries.
His formal resignation came in February, just days after a disastrous interview with ABC’s Four Corners and after facing mounting criticism.controversy over the supermarket giant’s role in the growing cost of living for Australians.
ABC journalist Angus Grigg questioned Banducci about the lack of competition in the supermarket industry.
Mr. Banducci walked away during the interrogation, but returned later to finish the recording.
Mr Banducci rose from an early career in consulting to become CEO of Woolworths Group.
His most recent LinkedIn listing is: CEO Woolworths Group, February 2016 to September 2024, to Woolworths Team Member, September 2024 to present.
After announcing his retirement, he led a Senate inquiry into supermarket prices, drawing criticism from Greens Senator Nick McKim, who accused him of dodging questions about Woolworths’ profitability.
‘I think I’m done, guys’: Mr. Banducci walked out of an interview with ABC Four Corners that aired in February
However, Woolworths management praised Mr Banducci as a great leader and cited record profits in recent years.
Group chairman Scott Perkins said at the time: ‘Brad has led a remarkable turnaround and transformation of the Group’.
“The test for any CEO is to leave the company in a much better state than when he started.
“By that simple yardstick, history will judge Brad as one of the finest leaders of Woolworths Group,” he said.