RETAIL TRADE – AUSTRALIA

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

Temu and Amazon have each gained close to a million shoppers in the last year, Shein has also gained over half a million shoppers

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Sep-25

New data from Roy Morgan reveals the staggering growth in the numbers of shoppers for online players Amazon, Temu and Shein. Some 8.8 million Australians bought at least once from Amazon over the year to June 2025 (up by 900,000 year-on-year, +11% growth), while 4.7 million bought from Temu (up by 900,000 year-on-year, +24% growth), and 2.6 million bought from Shein (up by 600,000 year-on-year, +27% growth). The rapid rise of these online disruptors is reshaping Australia’s retail landscape; several major retailers have experienced significant year-on-year declines in customer numbers, while others have exited the market entirely in the last year. Roy Morgan estimates that Temu had nearly $2.6 billion in annual sales in the 12 months to June (compared to an estimated $1.6 billion a year ago), while Shein had close to an estimated $1.3 billion in annual sales (compared to an estimated $1 billion a year ago).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, TEMU, SHEIN

Coles rings up winning sales growth

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 27-Aug-25

Grocery giant Coles Group has posted a 2024-25 net profit of $1.079bn, which is 3.5 per cent lower than previously. However, sales rose by 1.8 per cent to $44.49bn for the full year, with stronger growth in sales during the second half. The group’s flagship Coles Finest private label brand recorded sales growth of 13.9 per cent for the financial year, well above growth in sales for branded products. CEO Leah Weckert notes that sales revenue rose by 4.9 per cent in the first eight weeks of the current financial year. Meanwhile, Coles’ liquor division has posted full-year earnings of $113m, which is 15 per cent lower than previously.

CORPORATES
COLES GROUP LIMITED – ASX COL

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