Have your say – on implementation of the Statement of Principles

In April 2025, Bunnings launched the Statement of Principles to guide how we work with greenlife suppliers. Now we’re checking in to see how it’s working in practice.

We’re inviting greenlife suppliers to:

  • Complete a short survey
  • Join a confidential interview.

Your feedback will help us understand what’s working, what’s not, and what could be better.

Complete the survey via this link

Survey open: 31 October – 14 November 2025
Interviews conducted: During the same period. Please complete the survey first. There is a survey question inviting you to express interest in an interview.

FAQs

Who is running this engagement?
Communication Link is conducting the survey and interviews on behalf of Bunnings.

Is the survey anonymous?
Yes. No personal or business-identifying information will be shared with Bunnings.

Will interview feedback be confidential?
Yes. All interview data will be de-identified before being shared with Bunnings.

How long is the survey?
It takes less than 7 minutes to complete.

How do I register for an interview?
When you compete the survey you will have the option of selecting to also attend an interview.

What is the How Bunnings Works with our Greenlife Suppliers Statement of Principles?

The Statement of Principles creates clarity and certainty around how Bunnings and greenlife suppliers work together, now and into the future. It demonstrates Bunnings’ commitment to continue building strong relationships with its growers and support positive business outcomes.

Download the Statement of Principles here

How was the Statement of Principles developed?

Bunnings is committed to maintaining genuine engagement and effective communication with greenlife suppliers to foster a collaborative environment and support great business outcomes.

In 2024, we had over 150 meetings with growers where we listened and learned about what was important to them. This feedback was sorted into the following themes:

issues

In late 2024, we then invited growers to take part in a survey to help us validate the key themes to ensure we hadn’t missed anything. We also ran workshops to collaborate with growers to explore solutions and actions to address their feedback. 45 greenlife suppliers completed the survey and 24 attended workshops.

Bunnings started making changes to our operational processes throughout 2024 in direct response to this engagement. This included adding more resources to our greenlife buying team to help ensure we could work more efficiently with suppliers and meet their evolving needs.

Knowing that this is an ongoing process, in early 2025 we collaborated with Greenlife Industry Australia (GIA) to develop the How Bunnings Works with our Greenlife Suppliers Statement of Principles.

 

Process to develop and launch the Statement

Bunnings timeline_2024-2025 1

Key highlights of the Statement of Principles

The following are some key areas of the Statement of Principles that may be particularly relevant to our growers and are designed to bring certainty and clarity for Bunnings greenlife suppliers.

We will negotiate costs with greenlife suppliers through a fair and transparent process that reflects market conditions. We give greenlife suppliers guidance on how to submit a cost review proposal. We will review and communicate a decision on cost review proposals within 21 days of receiving the final, complete request. Cost changes are implemented in line with Supplier Trading Terms, which is 45 days from buyer approval.

Greenlife suppliers are free to get plants to store in the way that works best for them. Suppliers who opt into the Greenlife Cross Dock Program can opt out at any time, and we will work with the greenlife supplier on that transition in good faith. We continue to review our transport arrangements so that plants are delivered to our stores in a safe, timely and efficient manner, in accordance with Supplier Trading Terms. Changes from our review will be communicated to greenlife suppliers prior to implementation and in a timely manner. We will work closely with suppliers on any transitional arrangements. All transport arrangements will be negotiated and documented as part of our Supplier Trading Terms.

A Greenlife Working Group will be established to review and assess the effectiveness of this statement of principles. The Greenlife Working Group will include three Bunnings senior representatives and three senior industry representatives from GIA.

We understand that sometimes greenlife suppliers may be dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint they have made within Bunnings or may not feel comfortable raising a commercial issue with a member of the Bunnings Merchandise team. In these situations, a supplier may wish to raise a concern with the Independent Greenlife Arbiter who will review the issue and subject to first obtaining the greenlife supplier’s consent to disclose the greenlife supplier’s identity to Bunnings, engage with Bunnings to reach a resolution.

Bunnings is working with GIA to design and implement this independent process which will be communicated to greenlife suppliers within 12 weeks of this document being finalised.

Stock agreements are written contracts. We understand that a ‘one size fits all’ approach to stock agreements does not suit every greenlife supplier. Bunnings offers options supported by clear and fair negotiation processes and documented outcomes. Our greenlife suppliers are welcome to open discussions about stock agreements at any time. Written stock agreements with greenlife suppliers outline the specific volume and type of plants to be supplied to Bunnings in a specified period. When negotiating and agreeing to a stock agreement, we consider the greenlife suppliers’ previous stock agreements/commitments and the quality of stock previously supplied, as well as market trends, competitor activity, new range innovation and climate trends.

We have various payment terms available to support greenlife suppliers. We work with suppliers on terms that best suit their business. Payment terms will be met by Bunnings 100% of the time.

The rebates that Bunnings has in place with its greenlife suppliers are communicated at the start of the supplier relationship, before Suppliers Trading Terms are signed and before Stock Agreements are made. Rebates will be negotiated with our greenlife suppliers in good faith and with regard to their individual circumstances. Agreed rebates are documented in the Supplier Trading Terms.  

Understanding our greenlife suppliers and their business is important to our buying team. Our buyers will visit greenlife suppliers’ sites and operations at least annually, or at mutually convenient locations or virtually. We also seek to have store teams visit nurseries and operations from time to time to deepen our team’s understanding of the industry.

We negotiate and enter into Supplier Trading Terms with greenlife suppliers. We will continue to review Supplier Trading Terms with greenlife suppliers annually. Any amendments will be mutually agreed in writing by the greenlife supplier and Bunnings.

We will help greenlife suppliers understand and use our systems by providing information and tools such as training and ‘how to’ guides.

Thank you for having your say

Download the summary of the engagement with greenlife suppliers to help finalise the Statement of Principles.

Engagement with Greenlife Suppliers on Bunnings’ Statement of Principles Quantity of feedback • Feedback was gathered from 27 March to 10 April 2025 • 75 online survey responses were received • 11 one on one interviews were conducted • 86 people attended one of two webinars • 463 individual pieces of feedback were gathered across all engagement activities • Most growers feel the Statement is a good starting point to improving their relationship with Bunnings Who responded to the survey? • 67 current Bunnings suppliers, 3 previous suppliers and 5 who have never supplied Bunnings • 25 from Queensland, 16 from New South Wales, 19 from Victoria, 1 from the ACT, 1 from Tasmania, 5 from South Australia, 7 from Western Australia and 1 from the Northern Territory Which of these principles are most important to your business? (top 8 out of 31 principles) • 87% supplier trading terms • 65% cost reviews • 60% getting plants to store • 56% rebates • 52% individualised stock agreements • 41% plant quality • 41% dedicated greenlife buying team • 37% nursery standards Why are these important to your business? • Impacts business success – these principles can influence the success of my business • Plant quality – these principles support high standards of plant quality • Operational impacts – these influence how my business operates and interacts with Bunnings • Relationship impacts – principles that have the ability to improve relationships and communication What we heard most often • Communicate often • Embed the principles into all levels of operation • Build trust by delivering on these principles • Recognize there’s a power imbalance • Continue this type of engagement Is anything missing from the Statement? • Buyer communication and culture • More data sharing • Getting value out of merchandising costs • Help small businesses with templates and tools • Consistency across different states • Statement format • Consultation on long term industry planning • Repercussions for Bunnings non compliance • Continued reform of Cross Dock • Role of GIA in supporting growers to make the most of this Statement

Next steps

Bunnings and GIA are now considering the feedback from growers, before finalising and launching the Statement of Principles. The feedback received will also inform the implementation, including establishing the Independent Greenlife Arbiter and the Greenlife Working Group.

Frequently asked questions

We aim to provide genuine flexibility in negotiating payment terms. We have standardised options, including shorter payment terms, but there should always be an opportunity to negotiate terms that work for everyone. If there’s need for a change, we encourage you to raise it with your state buyer, national buyer, merchandise manager, or Adam Cole directly.

We offer a wide range of training programs for our nursery team. This includes the Greenlife Fundamentals course for new nursery team members as well as ongoing, product-specific training that is seasonally relevant.

Our greenlife e-learning library has all been supported by supplier content and is something we continue to build out. Where necessary, we proactively reach out to our subject matter expert suppliers for support with developing certain training. Growers are always welcome to contact their buyer directly if they’d like to provide input.

We’re committed to providing genuine access to stores outside of the cross dock and ensuring suppliers are not disadvantaged in any way. We understand the importance of providing flexibility and options for our suppliers and are committed to supporting them in making the best decisions for their business. We’re currently working through these matters in our Freight Review, which is a significant piece of work. As always, we encourage anyone with concerns to reach out to us directly.

We have an everyday low prices (EDLP) policy for like-for-like products that underpins the way we set prices in the market. This has helped us drive trust in the Bunnings brand for many years. We’re mindful, however, that there are several nuances in different varieties of plants, including variance in quality, age or condition. These things all need to be considered in price negotiations. Central to all of this is the dialogue between the buyer and the supplier around those matters – in particular what a buyer is considering when they’re undertaking a cost review and setting prices, and what feedback they have. That should be happening, and if it’s not, please raise it with us directly.

The buyer’s job is to make the best call on the product based on what’s required for the relevant market and the ranges available. While cost is a factor, buyers also consider quality, availability, service, shelf life and the overall range mix. Existing stock commitments with local suppliers and supporting the local industry are also taken into account. We encourage transparency and open discussions with buyers to understand the basis of their decisions.

Absolutely. Transparency is key, and suppliers will be informed and involved in the decision-making process during range reviews. We know greenlife is unique relative to other parts of our business, including the complexity of the supply chain. In addition, in instances where we’re no longer purchasing varieties or products from a particular supplier, we’ll support them on commitments made for materials and growing stock on our behalf. This is outlined in the Ways of Working document.

A new market can refer to a new sales channel or geographic region. For example, if we decide to sell a product from a grower in Victoria to our Queensland stores, we would discuss this with the grower first due to the additional logistics involved. Similarly, any decision to sell greenlife products online or through our marketplace would involve a conversation with the affected growers to ensure they are on board with the changes. We do not make independent decisions about new markets without consulting the relevant parties.

We’re working to provide greater clarity and longer-term certainty on both stock projection and planning, as we know it’s important to growers. Ultimately, we want to ensure we’re buying the right quantity of each plant, which is beneficial for everyone. As always, your feedback is crucial and we encourage growers to share their experiences directly with us so we can make informed adjustments.

The importance of greenlife to Bunnings can’t be overstated, particularly as our customers love the wide range and variety of plants on offer. We also know plants and shrubs are also central purchase of so many landscaping projects, either DIY or professional, so it’s an incredibly important category for our business.

Yes, absolutely. It’s a critically important process to our business which we undertake several times per year.

Yes. There’s an extensive freight review currently underway which needs to factor in all our trading regions including metro and regional areas across the country. More information will be provided as we progress through this review.

We want our greenlife suppliers to transport stock to our stores in a way that’s mutually beneficial to them and Bunnings. We encourage growers to speak with their buyers about the available options.

Evergreen owns Exodas Transport. Bunnings cross dock is an opt-in service that we offer suppliers.

We have a portal called Bunnings Connect which we use to make data available for growers about their products and ranges. We also provide training to help growers access this data. If you have any questions about these please speak with your buyer.

We’re working to provide suppliers with longer-term visibility on stock commitments, should they want it. If any supplier has confusion over stock agreements or any other process, they should speak with their buyer who’d be happy to help.

We try to ensure our stores offer the best and most relevant product range suited to the local market. In some instances, that involves sourcing plants locally; and in other instances, it may require us buying stock from interstate. Our buyers need to consider various factors and we encourage open dialogue with growers when these decisions are made.

No. Our cross dock is an opt-in service for our suppliers. Our focus is ensuring we get the best plants into our stores at the right prices, regardless of the delivery method a supplier chooses.

The best way is to talk to your buyer who can connect you with the relevant support. We also provide access through the Bunnings Connect portal.

Any suggestion of retribution is taken extremely seriously and we would not tolerate that behaviour in our business. We provide the ability for anonymous feedback through multiple channels, including a formal whistleblower process. We’ve also been really clear about the different contact points within our business beyond just the primary contacts. There are State Buyers, a National Greenlife Buyer, a Merchandise Manager, a General Manager (which is Adam Cole’s role), and right up to the Managing Director. It’s really important that we offer growers more than one contact point within our business.

Our Logistics and Supply Chain teams are currently working through the freight review which is aimed at simplifying and clarifying how we move stock to stores. It’s important we get it right and we’ll keep our growers involved in this process.

While our cross dock forms a major component, the review is exploring our broader supply chain including factors beyond physical transport solutions.

The primary point of contact is still the buyer. Depending on the region, we can connect growers with the most suitable person to discuss freight issues – but the buyer should be the first point of contact.

There are many factors for our buyers to consider when assessing products and we need to do this properly to ensure fairness for everyone. When we communicate with growers, we strive to be fair and transparent in how we compare products and costs. All these factors – not just cost – need to be taken into account. The lowest price promise is fundamental to our business and has always been a priority. It applies to like-for-like products, ensuring we remain competitive in the market by offering the lowest price on equivalent products. If any grower has questions about this they should speak directly with their buyer or go through the normal feedback channels.

Rebates in our Trading Terms are negotiable. We have these conversations on an annual basis or as required. If there are any rebates outside our Trading Terms growers want to discuss, they should contact their buyer directly.

The process typically starts with the buyer, whether it is the state buyer or the national buyer. Changes may be elevated to the Merchandise Manager or higher, depending on the specific change.

 

We’ll hold ourselves accountable through a review process with internal and external stakeholders. We’re comfortable these mechanisms are robust, particularly as it’s not just an internal mechanism – there’s also involvement from external stakeholders to review both the document itself and our adherence to it.

Buyers make decisions based on various market inputs. We aim to balance sustainable and profitable pricing for both businesses while meeting our commitment to offering the lowest price to customers. However, we’re always happy to have individual conversations with growers to better understand their circumstances. Growers should reach out to their buyers if they want to discuss this further.

Yes. When orders are placed via a Stock Tracker, that’s a commitment and we’ll honour it (provided it also meets other key requirements like delivery times, plant quality, etc).

We’re working to provide growers longer-term visibility on stock commitments and allocations where possible, to give them more confidence and certainty. Store-based ordering is essential for us to deliver a great nursery offer, so we do need to stay flexible around plant types, customer demand and season where we can.

Watch the webinar