CONSUMER BEHAVIOR – AUSTRALIA

End of Financial Year (EOFY) sales spending growth stalls as households tighten budgets

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Jun-26

End of Financial Year sales remain one of Australia’s most significant retail events; however, EOFY spending is forecast to grow by just 1.9 per cent this year – well below inflation. The research from the Australian Retail Council and Roy Morgan shows that around 6.1 million Australians (26%) plan to shop during EOFY sales this year, with total spending expected to reach $10.7bn. The most popular categories this year are clothing, footwear and accessories (34%), household appliances and white goods (15%), and electronics and technology products (12%). Australians aged 35 to 49 are expected to spend an average of $1,464 during the EOFY sales, compared with $1,946 for Australians aged under 35 and $1,993 for those aged 50 to 64. Despite participation remaining steady, around three million Australians who spent during last year’s EOFY sales do not currently plan to participate in 2026. This ARC-Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with a nationwide cross-section of 5,276 Australians aged 14+ from 28 May to 1 June.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAIL COUNCIL

13.6 million Australians now use AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Canva Magic Studio and Claude

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Jun-26

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 13.6 million people (equivalent to 58% of Australians aged 14+) used Artificial Intelligence tools in an average four weeks in the March 2026 quarter. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is clearly the most popular AI tool, with 10.5 million Australians (45%) using ChatGPT. Google Gemini is the second most used AI tool, used by 5 million Australians (21%); usage of Gemini represents the active use of the tool, rather than the embedded use that comes with using Google Search. Microsoft Copilot follows closely behind Google Gemini, used by an estimated 4 million Australians (17%). Well behind the big three are Canva’s Magic Studio, used by an estimated 1.4 million Australians (6%), while Anthropic’s Claude is used by an estimated 777,000 Australians (3%). Analysis by age shows that 74% of Australians aged 25-34 and 72% aged 35-49 use AI tools, the highest usage of any age groups. This is followed by people aged 18-24 (68%) and 14-17 (66%). In contrast, only 50% of people aged 50-64 and just 31% of people aged 65+ use AI tools.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Diesel ute sales fall off a cliff as fuel prices bite

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Original article by Ryan Cropp
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 6-May-26

Data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Electric Vehicle Council show that China’s BYD was the second-highest selling brand in Australia during April. The figures show that fully electric vehicles accounted for one in six new car sales for the month, with large diesel utes and four-wheel drives bearing the brunt of rising fuel prices. Sales of the Toyota HiLux fell by 31 per cent year-on-year, while Ford Everest sales were down more than 29 per cent. Sales of petrol cars overall fell by 30 per cent in April, while diesel vehicle sales were 21 per cent lower. In contrast, sales of BYD’s Sealion 7 electric car rose by more than 139 per cent year-on-year.

CORPORATES
FEDERAL CHAMBER OF AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES, ELECTRIC VEHICLE COUNCIL, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FORD MOTOR COMPANY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BYD COMPANY LIMITED

Top end of town turns to bargain brand Anko

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 6-May-26

Wesfarmers-owned Kmart now sells more than one billion Anko-branded items in Australia each year. Wesfarmers CEO Rob Scott has told the Macquarie Australia Conference that more affluent consumers are now buying Anko products, and they are increasingly trusting the quality of the home-brand range. Scott added that Kmart’s new marketplace is "performing exceptionally" and offers more than 100,000 products. Scott noted that any additional increases in official interest rates are likely to put pressure on household budgets, although he says Wesfarmers’ core retailing businesses will perform well in such an environment.

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Buyers steer clear of petrol as more electric vehicles hit the road

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Original article by Sam Irvine
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 8-Apr-26

Data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Electric Vehicle Council shows that a record 15,839 electric vehicles were sold nationwide during March. Electric vehicles comprised 14.6 per cent of new cars sold in March, with EV sakes rising to a record market share for a second successive month. FCAI CEO Tony Weber expects Australians to continue to embrace EVs until the Iran war ends, but he adds that it is too soon to know whether the trend will be sustained over the long-term. The figures also show that new car sales fell by 2.6 per cent overall in the year to March

CORPORATES
FEDERAL CHAMBER OF AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES, ELECTRIC VEHICLE COUNCIL

Temu and Shein still the headline disruptors in 2025

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Mar-26

New data from Roy Morgan shows that established mass retailers Bunnings, Kmart and Big W remain dominant and stable in 2025, with modest growth in shopper numbers year-on-year (2% for Bunnings, 3% for Kmart and 1% for Big W). Meanwhile, online marketplaces Temu, Shein and Amazon have registered strong shopper gains; Temu had 5 million Australian shoppers in 2025 (17% growth year-on-year), Shein had 2.9 million Australian shoppers (up 28%) and Amazon gained 500,000 shoppers (up 6%). In contrast, legacy online retailers like eBay and Kogan, as well as major department stores Myer and David Jones, are losing shoppers as they struggle to compete with value-focused retailers and online marketplaces, reflecting shifting consumer preferences toward lower prices and more convenient shopping experiences. Roy Morgan estimates that Amazon, Temu, and Shein collectively generated close to $12 billion in retail sales in 2025, reflecting an increase of over $2 billion compared to 2024.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED,BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED,KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED,BIG W DISCOUNT STORES,TEMU,SHEIN,AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED,EBAY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND PTY LTD,KOGAN.COM LIMITED – ASX KGN,MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR,DAVID JONES LIMITED

Big four banks cash in on zero interest

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Original article by Max Aitchison
The Australian – Page: 13 & 14 : 21-Jan-26

Analysis by Jarden shows that customers of Australia’s four major banks hold a combined $320bn in transaction and business accounts that do not pay any interest. This equates to about 10 per cent of each of the four major banks’ total deposits, and nearly 20 per cent of the estimated $1.7trn in deposits held by all of the nation’s lenders. Jarden’s analysis also shows that the four big banks’ implied earnings from zero-interest accounts have risen sharply in recent years. Matt Wilson from Jarden says the major banks have benefited from customer loyalty and inertia in recent years; he adds that this may change in 2026, and customers may begin seeking better deals for their bank deposits.

CORPORATES
JARDEN GROUP LIMITED

Australians to turn out in force for Boxing Day

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Dec-25

Data from the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan shows that consumers are forecast to spend about $1.6bn nationally on Boxing Day, a year-on-year increase of 4.3 per cent. Amongst other things, consumers are forecast to spend $476m on household goods on Boxing Day (up 4.4 per cent), and $216m on clothing, footwear and accessories (up 1.9 per cent); ‘Other retailing’ is also set for strong growth, rising 6.3 per cent to $221m. Spending in the full post-Christmas week (25-31 December) is forecast to reach $3.832 billion, up 4.4 per cent on last year; Boxing Day sales are expected to account for the largest share of this total, supported by strong demand for value, post-Christmas discounts and the redemption of Christmas gift cards.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Over one-in-three Australian credit card holders rely on credit to make ends meet

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Nov-25

New research from Roy Morgan’s Single Source shows that the median annual personal income of Australian credit card holders is over $20,000 higher than non-credit card holders. Nevertheless, 36% of credit card holders leave part of their credit card debt unpaid at the end of each month; this equates to an estimated 2,440,000 Australians, or 11% of the adult population. Among the 2.44 million Australians who do not pay off their credit card each month, the median amount owed is $1,037. Those with greater ongoing living expenses tend to owe more, with more owed by mortgage payers ($1,342) and renters ($911) than by those owning their home outright ($787). Not only do credit card holders who have greater ongoing living expenses leave larger amounts unpaid on their credit card each month, but they are also more likely to have accessed buy-now, pay-later services in an average four weeks.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Online retailers are leading Australia’s low-price perception shift, with cheap becoming even cheaper

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Nov-25

Research from Roy Morgan shows that global online retailers are reshaping Australians’ perceptions of value, with "cheap" becoming even cheaper as most traditional discount stores lose their hold on price perception. Kmart and Big W continue to lead on low-price perception, with 58% and 45% of Australians respectively associating these brands with the statement "has low prices". However, over the past five years most traditional discount retailers have seen declines in this measure, while Amazon, Temu and Shein have recorded notable gains. Temu’s "low price" association has risen from 34% to 41% (+7% points) since October 2024, surpassing The Reject Shop. Shein has risen from 23% to 27% (+4% points) during the same period, and is now sitting on par with Bunnings and Target. The Reject Shop’s recent acquisition by Canadian retailer Dollarama is set to inject new competition into this segment. However, Dollarama will be entering a far more competitive environment than The Reject Shop has competed in, with online players now firmly reshaping what Australians perceive as "cheap".

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BIG W DISCOUNT STORES, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, TEMU, SHEIN, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED, DOLLARAMA