Coles, Woolworths reveal if East West rail corridor shutdown will impact WA supermarket shelves

West Australian supermarkets will not be impacted by the shutdown of the biggest freight route into the State, its peak transport industry body has assured shoppers.

The East West rail corridor — which brings 80 per cent of interstate supplies into Perth — has been closed after flash flooding and heavy rain in South Australia washed away 100m of track.

Western Roads Federation chief executive Cam Dumesny said while the volume of goods arriving into WA would take a hit, supermarkets would be minimally impacted.

“To give retailers credit, their product line management is exceptionally good,” Mr Dumesny said.

“We’ve increased stock holding in WA, so we are more resilient to disruptions.”

Mr Dumesny said most retailers will rely on road transport while the rail corridor is out of action.

“I doubt consumers will notice any difference in the supermarkets,” he said.

A Coles spokesperson confirmed the flood’s impact on WA shelves would be minimal.

“We don’t expect any major impacts for our Western Australian customers as a result of this rail closure, with some deliveries already en route via road,” a statement read.

“We are keeping a close eye on the situation, but have plenty of stock already in WA to keep our stores stocked.”

Woolworths said its Perth distribution centre allowed it to hold more stock and create a buffer for transport disruptions.

“Our Perth warehouse is well-stocked, and most of the meat, fruit, veg, eggs, milk and bread sold in our WA stores is sourced from right here in WA,” a spokesperson said.

“As a result, we don’t expect any significant supply impact at this time, while we also arrange for road freight alternatives from the east. We are closely monitoring the situation, and are in contact with authorities to understand when the rail line will reopen.”

Mr Dumesny stressed that while WA is “very good at responding”, it falls short in addressing its ongoing vulnerability to weather conditions.

The track has been hit between McLeay and Bookaloo in SA, north-west of Port Augusta. With more heavy rain forecast on Tuesday, the Australian Rail Track Corporation said restoration could take longer than one week.

“Another further significant weather system is forecast to move across similar areas later this week, which may exacerbate existing damage and recovery efforts,” it said.

Fresh food was resistant though, given WA sourced it locally or already received it via road transport.

Items like improving warehousing and road/rail interconnections will be addressed at an upcoming meeting with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) following the 2024 National Defence Strategy (NDS) report that identifie logistics resilience as a critical component of national security.