Nominations are now open for the ARA Australian Retail Awards – which celebrate the best major retailers, smaller owner-operated stores and retail innovation, as well as the achievements of young retail talent across the country. Last year’s winner was Supercheap Auto, with IGA the only food retailer to earn an award (for innovation). Australian Retail Association (ARA) Executive Director Richard Evans said there were two categories currently open for nomination – the ARA Young... ...Read more »

The 2009-2010 Federal Budget takes a long-term and hopeful view of Australia’s powers of recovery. It is a ‘dig deep and hope the recession ends soon’ approach, according to the Australian National Retailer’s Association (ANRA) – which represents major retailers including Coles, Woolworths and Franklins. “In a climate of confused and dramatically altered consumer confidence, retailers needed to see initiatives to stimulate the flagging optimism of Australians,”... ...Read more »

Food retail sales rose again in March, according to the latest ABS data, but the rate of growth has fallen as restaurants and take-away outlets received a more substantial boost. The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the 2.2 per cent growth in retail turnover for March was in line with predictions and showed signs of slow recovery as cashed-up consumers re-entered the market. ARA Executive Director Richard Evans suggested the better-than-expected figures were the result of economic stimuli... ...Read more »

Retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) believes the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has demonstrated good fiscal policy by leaving the official cash rate unchanged at three per cent today. ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said today’s interest rate hold indicated the RBA was waiting to evaluate the effects of other economic stimuli yet to impact the market. “With the Federal Budget announcement next week and while there are still a number of economic influences... ...Read more »

Today leading restaurateurs met in Sydney to discuss the impact of proposed Award Modernisation laws, which would see the federal hotels award apply to restaurants. The meeting, which included prominent industry leaders like Peter Doyle (Peter Doyle at the Quay), Matt Moran (Aria), Con Dedes (Flying Fish), Tonci Farak (Wildfire), Tony Bilson (Bilson’s) and Brien Trippas (AIH), was convened to discuss the way forward for the industry. The group decided that the highest priority is halting the... ...Read more »

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has called for the Rudd Government to focus on jobs and strategies to keep prices low in the Federal Budget in May.ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said employment stability is the key to domestic economic recovery and the Rudd Government’s second budget must provide leadership and strategy to encourage employers to maintain and grow their workforce. “Employers need support from government to overcome the reduction in consumer demand over... ...Read more »

Retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the Reserve Bank’s decision to leave the cash rate unchanged at 3.25 per cent signalled Australia’s economic conditions were stabilising.ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said the Reserve Bank’s positive indication of economic recovery was confirmed by January retail trade growth of 0.2 per cent, reflecting a year-on-year growth of approximately 6.5 per cent. “Seasonally adjusted retail trade growth for... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has advised that, after very slow November Christmas sales, the stimulus package and lower interest rates helped Christmas sales skyrocket in the last weeks of December to meet early projections of $37 billion nationally in retail sales. Food retail was not surprisingly at the top of the tree as consumers got into the festive spirit. In fact, food sales accounted for more than one third of retail sales over the period. According... ...Read more »

New research released in the December ARA Australian Retailers Index revealed a five percentage point jump in confidence among SME retailers, after consistent falls in confidence levels since November 2007.Australian Retailers Association Executive Director Richard Evans said the December ARA Australian Retailers Index showed marked improvement for SME retailers with increases in key economic indicators, but warned the retailers’ attitudes were still being affected by ‘gloom and doom’... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the 7.5 per cent jump in December Westpac Consumer Sentiment figures released today was great news for retailers who expected strong growth to return to the sector by September in 2009. According to ARA Executive Director, Richard Evans, the jump in consumer sentiment from 85.5 in November to 92 in December suggests consumers are finally realising the current economic crisis is a crisis of confidence. “With petrol prices... ...Read more »