RETAIL TRADE – AUSTRALIA

Lower interest rates a welcome relief, critical banks pass on full cut

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Original article by
Australian Retailers Association – Page: Online : 13-Aug-25

Retailers have welcomed the Reserve Bank of Australia’s announcement of a 25-basis-point interest rate cut as a vital confidence boost for the sector’ recovery. The Australian Retailers Association and the National Retail Association said that lower interest rates will encourage much-needed discretionary spending. The ARA’s CEO Chris Rodwell says the two clear messages that stem from the decision are that the RBA remain open to further cuts in 2025 – given that retail growth and consumer confidence remain subdued – and it is critical that banks act now to pass on the full rate cut. Rodwell adds that a stronger Australian economic trajectory cannot happen without a retail recovery.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL RETAIL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

‘Let us see the audits’: Kmart faces legal battle over alleged links to Uyghur forced labour

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Original article by Jessica Yun
The Age – Page: Online : 6-Aug-25

Discount department store chain Kmart Australia is under scrutiny amid concerns that two of its clothing suppliers may used forced labour in the Chinese autonomous region of Xinjiang. The Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association recently filed a Federal Court application requesting information from Kmart as to whether the suppliers in question are compliant with the company’s ethical sourcing program. A Kmart spokesperson has indicated that the retailer regularly monitors its suppliers via audits, site visits and other actions,

CORPORATES
KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN UYGHUR TANGRITAGH WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Retail Media and the evolving NEO Consumer: A Roy Morgan Business Address

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-May-25

NEO retail guru Scott Browning will give a presentation on the dramatic emergence of ‘Retail Media’ and the role the next economic order of consumers (NEOs) are playing in its financial growth. Scott will unpick the confusion swirling around Retail Media and analyse where it poses a threat and provides exceptional opportunities. He will review the established players like Woolworths and Coles, reveal Amazon as the ‘elephant in the room’ and contextualise the emerging players like Officeworks, Chemist Warehouse, Bunnings, and others. Social scientist and author Dr Ross Honeywill will also share his latest insights into the evolving NEO consumer wave and what it means for brands in 2025 and beyond. Bookings are essential for this face-to-face briefing at Tonic House (386 Flinders Lane, Melbourne) at 4.00pm on 20 May.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Mother’s Day love: fewer Aussies spending more

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-May-25

Australians are expected to spend $1bn on Mother’s Day this year, virtually unchanged from a year ago despite tighter household budgets. A survey by the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan shows that 30 per cent of Australians will celebrate Mother’s Day in 2025, which equates to seven million people. This is 2.7 million fewer than in 2024, although the projected average spend is up from $102 last year to $141. Flowers will be the gift of choice for 37% of respondents, while 20 per cent will opt for food and beverages. Other popular gifts include gift vouchers (10%), personal care items (10%), clothing and shoes (9%), and house-related gifts such as homewares and gardening hardware (7%). This ARA-Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with a nationwide cross-section of 3,115 Australians aged 18+ from 10-23 April.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Mother’s Day love: fewer Aussies spending more

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Original article by
Australian Retailers Association – Page: Online : 7-May-25

A survey by the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan has found that 30 per cent of Australians are set to celebrate Mother’s Day in 2025, which equates to seven million people. This is 2.7 million fewer people than in 2024, although the projected average spend is up from $102 last year to $141. In total, Australians are expected to spend $1 billion on Mother’s Day this year, which is virtually unchanged from a year ago despite tighter household budgets. Some 37% of respondents say flowers will be their gift of choice, while 20 per cent will opt for food and beverages. Other popular gifts include gift vouchers (10%), personal care items (10%), clothing and shoes (9%) and house-related gifts such as homewares and gardening hardware (7%). The ARA’s Fleur Brown says that special spending events like Mother’s Day help to keep the retail sector resilient.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Women’s boot brand Wittner collapses

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Original article by Sarah Perillo
The Australian – Page: 17 : 17-Apr-25

Women’s footwear brand Wittner has become the latest casualty of challenging market conditions in Australia’s retail sector. Sal Algeri and David Orr from Deloitte have been appointed as the administrators of Wittner, which has a network of more than 20 stand-alone stores and about 25 concession stores within David Jones and Myer outlets. Wittner was founded in 1912, and the administrators have emphasised that it will continue to trade as they seek a deal to sell or recapitalise the business.

CORPORATES
WITTNER SHOES, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED

Coles laments $500m in sales lost to rivals

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 4-Mar-25

Coles’ internal analysis suggests that competition from non-grocery retailers has cost it about $400m worth of sales in categories such as personal care and household products over the last four years. It is estimated that Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and independent grocery stores have lost about $500m in sales to pharmacies, hardware stores and online-only retailers such as Temu and Amazon. Coles aims to counter this by ramping up its investment in the ‘health and home’ product category. Woolworths CEO Amanda Bardwell also recently noted that the group’s growth in sales of non-food products has been below that of previous years.

CORPORATES
COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, TEMU, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

Rivers rus dry with no buyers

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 15 : 24-Jan-25

The receivers and managers of Mosaic Brands have advised that they have been unable to find a buyer for its Rivers footwear and clothing brand. David Hardy from receiver KPMG says all remaining 136 stores operating under the Rivers brand will be close by mid-April, with the loss of about 650 jobs. Rivers and several other brands were acquired in 2018 by Noni B, which subsequently became Mosaic Brands. The company collaped in late 2024 with debts of nearly $250m, and several of its retail brands were immediately axed. The brand that eventually became Rivers was established in 1863.

CORPORATES
RIVERS (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, MOSAIC BRANDS LIMITED – ASX MOZ, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Myer to relaunch loyalty scheme after merger

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Original article by Carrie LaFrenz
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 24-Jan-25

More than 96 per cent of Myer shareholders have voted in favour of a deal to acquire Premier Investments’ clothing brands. The deal was also backed by more than 99 per cent of Premier’s shareholders. Myer’s executive chair Olivia Wirth says the department store group will relaunch its Myer One customer loyalty program later in 2025 and expand it to include the network of stores in Premier’s Apparel Brands portfolio; they include Just Jeans, Portmans and Jacqui E. Premier’s chairman Solomon Lew will have a stake of about 27 per cent in the enlarged Myer and gain a seat on its board, while Premier will now focus on its Smiggle and Peter Alexander brands.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV, JUST JEANS PTY LTD, PORTMANS PTY LTD, JACQUI E PTY LTD

Profit shock for Myer, Premier Investments

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Original article by Matt Bell
The Australian – Page: 13 & 14 : 14-Jan-25

Department store group Myer Holdings has advised that its sales totalled $1.59bn for the 22 weeks to December 28; this is 0.8 per cent lower than previously, and includes the crucial Black Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day sales. The trading update prompted investors to sell down Myer’s shares, with the stock falling 23.1 per cent to $0.88 on Monday. A deal to acquire the apparel brands of Premier Investments will be put to a vote of Myer shareholders on 23 January. Premier Investments has also indicated that weak sales will affect its earnings for the current half-year; its shares fell 15.9 per cent to $27.78.

CORPORATES
MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, PREMIER INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX PMV