Supermarket giant Coles is investing in data insights for suppliers with the launch of Coles Synergy, an analytics tool created in partnership with market analytics provider IRI.

Through IRI’s Liquid Data platform (ILD), used by Morrisons and Waitrose in the UK and Kroger in the US, Synergy will offer suppliers market insights across supermarkets, Coles Express convenience and Coles Liquor stores.

Insights will be available across products, stores, geographies and sales channels using the same measures used within Coles, chief executive commercial and express Greg Davis explained.

“Having a common understanding of the market will make joint business planning easier and foster deeper relationships so we can work together to bring innovative products and great value to our customers,” Davis said.

IRI is the sole provider of scan data and analysis drawn from more than one billion Coles customer transactions per year.

Paul Hinds, managing director for Asia Pacific at IRI said the company is proud to be expanding the relationship with Coles.

“The strategic partnership with Coles builds on our ongoing momentum within the retail and FMCG sectors both locally and globally. This, together with IRI’s extensive experience in understanding the Australian shopper and the grocery landscape, will help Coles and its supplier partners attain an enhanced understanding of the Coles customer and win together.”

Rival supermarket Woolworths is also investing heavily in data, last year establishing its own media business, Cartology, to connect its suppliers with consumers