This Month
- Opinion
- Retail
Half-priced detergent every few weeks? Shoppers can smell a rat
Deep food and grocery discounts have become increasingly popular with consumers, but the cost is unfairly borne by suppliers, prompting calls for change.
- Updated
April
- Opinion
- Window Shopping
Why supermarkets ‘fell off their pedestal’
Building social licence is a significant opportunity for retailers but as the travails of the two big supermarket chains show, it can be easily damaged.
- Opinion
- Retail
Supermarket payback: How to overcome suppliers’ fear of complaining
The interim review of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct tries to overcome suppliers’ fear of retribution from major retailers, but it may not go far enough.
March
- Opinion
- Retail
‘Reform is needed’: why ACCC is looking at Woolies and Coles stores
Woolworths and Coles have opened 394 stores since the 2008 grocery inquiry but only a handful have crossed the ACCC’s desk. That may be about to change.
February
- Opinion
- Retail
Coles takes the lead. What will Woolworths pull up next?
Woolworths’ sales growth has dropped below that of Coles, prompting analysts to suggest it might need to act to improve price perceptions.
- Opinion
- Retail
Online winners and losers emerge as Amazon, Temu and Shein ramp up
Domestic marketplaces have been hit hardest by Amazon’s expansion and the arrival of new players, Temu and Shein.
- Opinion
- Retail
Retailers need to be smart about casual conversion
Retailers are up in arms over plans to change casual conversion rights, but there are benefits in having more permanent staff, as IKEA and Bunnings have found.
January
- Opinion
- Retail
Woolworths and Coles should act pre-emptively to avoid big stick
Targeted price cuts would dent margins and be distasteful for the supermarket chains’ investors, but might be less damaging than onerous regulatory changes.
December 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
Retailers hope for clearer skies after ‘perfect storm’ in 2023
The economy managed to avoid a recession this year, but the retail sector was not as fortunate, with real retail spending declining for three consecutive quarters.
- Opinion
- Retail
Health, the new frontier for Wesfarmers, Woolworths
Wesfarmers and Woolworths are uniquely positioned to disrupt the health sector by building ecosystems in partnership with insurers and care providers, says Jarden.
November 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
Why Black Friday discounts could come back to bite retailers
In a desperate attempt to boost lacklustre sales, retailers have turned what was originally a short, sharp shopping promotion into an extended margin-sapping clearance sale.
- Opinion
- Retail
Cup Day rate rise casts pall over Black Friday, Christmas spending
Retailers are counting on Black Friday to save Christmas, but the latest rate rise could dent confidence and force retailers to discount more deeply.
October 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
‘Venomous and dangerous’ distrust a red flag for Coles, Woolworths
Higher prices and a backlash against in-store technology are fuelling rising distrust in Australia’s two largest supermarket chains.
- Opinion
- Retail
Rewards schemes race to beat new privacy laws
Changes to privacy laws could fundamentally change the way retailers collect and use customer data gleaned from loyalty programs.
September 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
Retailers hope new stores will beat the spending blues
New stores are helping retailers grow topline sales but if conditions deteriorate, they may drag on earnings.
- Opinion
- Retail
Solomon Lew avoids Myer showdown but has plenty of balls in the air
The billionaire retailer has never had so many balls in the air, including a new CEO for Myer and a potential break-up of his listed retail empire.
August 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
Why retailers will need to cater to ‘sexy 70-year-olds’
The Intergenerational Report provides food for thought for retailers, which face an ageing population, slower population growth and the impact of climate change.
- Opinion
- Retail
Retailers face triple-whammy challenge
The post-COVID normalisation in demand has coincided with a cost-of-living crunch and soaring costs, which will squeeze sales and earnings in 2024.
- Opinion
- Retail
‘Better balance’ – why retail workers are pushing for a four-day week
The push for a four-day week is starting to take off in retail, led by Bunnings, even though the timing is less than ideal.
July 2023
- Opinion
- Retail
‘As bad as we’ve had it’: retailers cut stock as shoppers strike
Stores are moving to avoid a blowout in inventories in the expectation of tougher trading in the lead-up to Christmas as cost-of-living pressures bite.
