The partnership aimed to strengthen specialist technological and digital capabilities it needed to continue supporting the business and serve customers, a spokesperson said. The Australian Services Union slammed the announcement, saying the plan echoed a recent move by Woolworths to send finance, HR and IT roles to India and the Philippines. "Coles wants you to believe sending hundreds of Australian jobs to India is about 'seamless, personalised digital experiences'," ASU assistant national secretary Scott Cowen said in a statement. "We will redeploy as many affected team members as possible, including reskilling opportunities and pathways into other roles across Coles," the company spokesperson said. The company claimed it would remain a net creator of Australian jobs as store numbers continued to grow.