G41 Food Retailing

Woolies defies critics with profit guidance

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Original article by Andrew Fraser
The Australian – Page: 21 : 28-Nov-14

The stock of retailing sector group Woolworths on 27 November 2014 closed 2.16% higher at $A31.75, following comments made by chair Ralph Waters at its AGM. He told investors that the company was maintaining its forecast of 2014-15 net profit growth between 4% and 7%. CEO Grant O’Brien also noted the improving performance of the Dan Murphy’s liquor stores chain, Masters hardware joint venture and New Zealand supermarkets division. Waters sought to discount the competitive threat potentially posed by rival Aldi

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MASTERS HOME IMPROVEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DAN MURPHY’S, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, COSTCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION, TESCO PLC, J SAINSBURY PLC, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Alcohol risks for young a big concern

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Original article by Cathy O’Leary
The West Australian – Page: 8 : 24-Nov-14

A survey carried out on behalf of the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol & Youth has found that 94 per cent of adults in Western Australia are concerned about excessive alcohol consumption by the state’s youth. Some 92 per cent of respondents said drug and alcohol education programs should be held in schools on a regular basis, while 50 per cent believe that governments are taking sufficient action to address the issue of binge drinking

CORPORATES
McCUSKER CENTRE FOR ACTION ON ALCOHOL AND YOUTH, CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY. NATIONAL DRUG RESEARCH INSTITUTE

A toast to Australia’s Champagne and sparkling wine drinkers!

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 20-Nov-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 15 per cent of Australians aged 18+ drank Champagne or sparkling wine in any given four-week period in the year to September 2014. In contrast, 37 per cent of Australian adults drank beer during an average four weeks, while 42 per cent drank red or white wines. The survey also shows that 31 per cent of Australians who drink Champagne or sparkling wine belong to the affluent AB socio-economic quintile, while 37 per cent are from households with annual income of at least $A250,000

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Wesfarmers off to good start: Goyder

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Original article by Sue Mitchell, Julie-Anne Sprague
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 20 : 21-Nov-14

Wesfarmers chairman Bob Every has told the group’s annual meeting that its total shareholder return has significantly outperformed the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 over the last decade. MD Richard Goyder said the conglomerate’s retail operations have generally performed well so far in 2014-15, particularly the Coles and Bunnings businesses. Goyder also downplayed speculation that the cashed-up group could pursue acquisitions. Wesfarmers shares closed $A0.79 lower at $A42.10

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS BUNNINGS LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, PACIFIC BRANDS LIMITED – ASX PBG, AUSTRALIAN FOOD AND GROCERY COUNCIL, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, ORICA LIMITED – ASX ORI, COATES HIRE LIMITED, ELDERS LIMITED – ASX ELD, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, THE GOOD GUYS, THE MUIR ELECTRICAL COMPANY PTY LTD, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, COSTCO WHOLESALE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TESCO PLC, MORRISONS, ASDA GROUP PLC, PERTH CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE

Australians put the squeeze on fruit juice brands

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Nov-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 37 per cent of Australians aged 14+ consumed packaged fruit juice in the year to June 2014, compared with 48 per cent in the year to June 2010. Some 7.5 per cent of Australians now drink Berri juices, down from 13.3 per cent in 2010, while consumption of Golden Circle has fallen from 8.0 per cent to 5.6 per cent and Daily Juice consumption is down from 7.2 per cent to 5.2 per cent

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, BERRI LIMITED, GOLDEN CIRCLE LIMITED, DAILY JUICE COMPANY, NUDIE PTY LTD, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW

Big retailers warn of chill to competition

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Original article by Katie Walsh
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 19-Nov-14

An Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) submission to the Harper review of competition law has expressed concern about the proposed "effects test". It warns that this would adversely affect competition and would have no long-term benefit for consumers. The ANRA has supported some of the other recommendations of the review, while small retailers say the proposal to deregulate trading hours will ultimately increase the dominance of retail giants Coles and Woolworths

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, WESFARMERS BUNNINGS LIMITED, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, INDEPENDENT GROCERS OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN TAXI INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

Shops wary of opening early

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Original article by Phoebe Wearne
The West Australian – Page: 16 : 4-Nov-14

Woolworths has decided to switch to Western Australia’s new Christmas trading hours. Coles and David Jones have not yet announced whether they will follow Woolworths’ example. Under the new regulations, big stores can trade from 7am to 9pm on weekdays and from 8am to 6pm on Sundays

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, DAVID JONES LIMITED, WOOLWORTHS HOLDINGS LIMITED, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMERCE, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES

Shop from 7am

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Original article by Gareth Parker
The West Australian – Page: 1 : 3-Nov-14

Large retailers in Western Australia (WA) have been granted extended trading hours during Christmas. Stores will be able to trade from 7am to 9pm on weekdays from 5 December 2014 until 2 January 2015, while they can trade until 6pm on weekends. The move has been supported by the WA Chamber of Commerce & Industry, but John Cummings of the WA Independent Grocers’ Association says national supermarket chains will be the sole beneficiaries of the new trading hours

CORPORATES
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INCORPORATED), WESTERN AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT GROCERS’ ASSOCIATION, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMERCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, DAVID JONES LIMITED, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR

Goyder defends Coles’s conduct amid strong sales

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 21 : 31-Oct-14

The total turnover of retailer Coles during the September 2014 quarter grew 4% to reach $A9.2bn. Across the individual units of the Wesfarmers-owned group, sales at Bunnings were up 11%, those at Officeworks 8% and Kmart 2.9%. At the results presentation on 30 October 2014, Wesfarmers CEO Richard Goyder rejected claims by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission that Coles supermarkets were guilty of "unconscionable conduct" by pressuring grocery suppliers into making financial contributions

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WESFARMERS BUNNINGS LIMITED, OFFICEWORKS SUPERSTORES PTY LTD, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, ZARA, INDITEX SA, TOPSHOP, ARCADIA GROUP PLC, HENNES OCH MAURITZ AB

Tubs of joy: Australians still love ice cream

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 29-Oct-14

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 73 per cent of Australian grocery buyers purchased a tub or carton of ice cream at least once in the year to June 2014. The survey also shows that 19 per cent of Australians purchase ice cream in tubs or cartons once a month, while just three per cent do so every week. Some 20 per cent of grocery buyers purchase Bulla ice cream in an average four weeks, followed by Peters (17 per cent) and Streets (12 per cent)

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, REGAL CREAM PRODUCTS PTY LTD, PETERS ICE CREAM, UNILEVER AUSTRALIA LIMITED, COLES GROUP LIMITED, CONNOISSEUR