Across seven stores in three Australian states, between 55 and 80 percent of baby wipes on supermarket shelves are made in China. Only 5 to 26 percent are Australian-made. Chemist Warehouse has the highest proportion of Australian-made options. Woolworths and Coles own-brand shelves skew heavily imported. Here’s the data store by store, including three new stores in Queensland and New South Wales added to the audit this month.
Where are most baby wipes in Australian supermarkets made?
The short answer: China. Across every store we’ve audited since April 2026, imported baby wipes dominate shelf space. Roughly 60 to 70 percent of facings are products made in China. A further 10 to 20 percent come from Singapore or Ireland. The remainder, usually 5 to 10 percent, is Australian-made.
The pattern holds across major chains, chemist retailers, and independents. It does not change at the state border.
Which Australian supermarket sells the highest proportion of Australian-made baby wipes?
Chemist Warehouse. In our April 2026 audit, approximately 26 percent of baby wipes on the Chemist Warehouse shelf were Australian-made, well above any other retailer we’ve checked.
The ranking across all seven stores audited to date:
| Retailer | Location | China | Singapore | Other imported | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemist Warehouse | Adelaide | ~58% | ~8% | ~8% | ~26% |
| Woolworths | Noosaville (QLD) | ~70% | ~10% | ~10% | ~10% |
| Woolworths | Adelaide | ~73% | ~11% | ~8% | ~8% |
| Coles | Adelaide | ~61% | ~22% | ~11% | ~6% |
| Coles | Noosa (QLD) | ~60% | ~20% | ~15% | ~5% |
| Woolworths | Mosman (NSW) | ~70% | ~15% | ~10% | ~5% |
| Foodland | Adelaide | ~45% | ~55% | — | 0% |
Chemist Warehouse is the clear leader for Australian-made representation. The two major supermarket chains both sit between 5 and 10 percent. Foodland, despite its “support local” positioning, had zero Australian-made baby wipes on the shelf at the time of our audit.
What did the earlier shelf audits find?
In April 2026 we audited a Woolworths in Adelaide. In June 2026 we extended it to Coles, Chemist Warehouse, and Foodland (all Adelaide). Across those four stores, imported wipes dominated. The question we hadn’t answered: was that pattern specific to South Australia, or national?
To find out, we audited three east-coast stores: Coles Noosa, Woolworths Noosaville, and Woolworths Mosman.
What did we find at Coles Noosa, Woolworths Noosaville, and Woolworths Mosman?
Coles Noosa (QLD)
Same major brands. Same country-of-origin split. Huggies dominates the shelf, with product predominantly from China. Tooshies has an Australian-made presence but it’s a minority of the facings. The Coles private label skews imported.
Visual shelf space breakdown: approximately 60 percent China, 20 percent Singapore, 15 percent other imported, 5 percent Australian.
Woolworths Noosaville (QLD)
The Woolworths own-brand shelf set across the country is clearly a standard planogram. The Noosaville shelf looked like the Noarlunga or Burnside shelf. Huggies the hero, Curash as the lifestyle alternative, Tooshies as the Australian-made option tucked to one side. No regional difference.
Visual shelf space breakdown: approximately 70 percent China, 10 percent Singapore, 10 percent other imported, 10 percent Australian.
Woolworths Mosman (NSW)
Mosman is a premium Sydney suburb. If we were going to see a difference anywhere, this was the location to see it. More natural brands, more boutique options, more of the “clean beauty” positioning that reads well with the local demographic.
The shelf looked the same.
Visual shelf space breakdown: approximately 70 percent China, 15 percent Singapore, 10 percent other imported, 5 percent Australian.
Why does the country-of-origin split look the same in every state?
Because supermarket shelves are planogrammed nationally. The brand mix at a Woolworths in Mosman is set by the same category team as the brand mix at a Woolworths in Adelaide, with the same volume economics driving the same shelf space allocation to the same imported majors.
The country-of-origin story is a national buying decision, not a local one. State-level consumer preference does not translate into state-level shelf difference.
Is own-brand supermarket apple puree now imported too?
While we were cross-shopping in Adelaide recently, we picked up a Woolworths-brand apple puree 4-pack. Made in China. 92 percent apple puree, 8 percent concentrated pear juice.
Australia grows hundreds of thousands of tonnes of apples a year and exports thousands of tonnes to international markets. The orchards are a few hours up the road from most Australian capital cities. The apple puree in a child’s lunchbox, under an Australian supermarket’s own brand, is now coming from China.
The baby wipes finding isn’t an isolated category story. The same pattern is visible across supermarket own-brand ranges more broadly, including everyday pantry items where local supply is clearly available.
What are the limits of this audit?
- Single-store visits per location. Stock mixes shift week to week.
- Visual shelf space is a proxy for retailer intent, not actual sales volumes.
- We’ve not audited ALDI nationally, nor online-only brands.
- Private-label and own-brand composition can change at reorder time. We photograph each pack as proof of the audit on the day.
What’s next?
The next round is a Western Australia audit (Perth and Fremantle) and a Tasmanian check. We’d also like to run a deliberate audit at a store in a regional farming town, specifically to test the hypothesis that the planogram is identical regardless of where the local economy’s sympathies might lie.
If you’re near one of those locations and want to run the audit yourself, we have a one-page template with the brands to check and the data columns to fill. Email ask@kine.com.au and we’ll send it.
Frequently asked questions
Are most baby wipes in Australian supermarkets made in China?
Yes. Across the seven stores we’ve audited in South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales, between 55 and 80 percent of baby wipes on the shelf are made in China. The exception was Foodland (Adelaide), where the dominant imported origin was Singapore rather than China.
Which supermarket has the most Australian-made baby wipes?
Chemist Warehouse. Approximately 26 percent of baby wipes on the Chemist Warehouse (Adelaide) shelf were Australian-made at the time of our audit, substantially higher than Woolworths (5 to 10 percent), Coles (5 to 6 percent), or Foodland (0 percent).
Which baby wipe brands are Australian-made?
Tooshies is the most consistently stocked Australian-made baby wipe across major supermarkets. Kine Baby Wipes are also Australian-made, manufactured in South Australia, and certified flushable to AS/NZS 5328:2022. Several smaller Australian brands appear in Chemist Warehouse but are rarely stocked in Woolworths or Coles.
Where are Huggies, Curash, and Tooshies baby wipes made?
Based on on-pack country-of-origin statements at the time of our audits: Huggies is predominantly made in China, Curash is made in Singapore, and Tooshies is Australian-made. Composition can vary by SKU and change at reorder time.
Does the country-of-origin mix change between states?
No. We audited three stores in Queensland and New South Wales and found the same imported-majority split as South Australia. Supermarket planograms are national, not regional.
Are supermarket own-brand products also imported?
Often yes. Woolworths and Coles both source significant volumes of own-brand products from overseas, including baby wipes and basic pantry items like apple puree. Local sourcing isn’t the default for own-brand ranges, even where Australian supply is available.
Where can I buy Australian-made baby wipes online?
Kine Baby Wipes are Australian-made in South Australia, 100 percent plant-based cellulose, and certified flushable to Australian Standard AS/NZS 5328:2022. Available direct at Kine Baby Wipes or through select stockists. Each 80-pack is manufactured in a single run in Woodville, SA, by The Hygiene Co., and shipped in Australian-made cartons.
Published by Mark Yates, Founder, Kine Australia.
