Newly appointed CEO of Australian retail giant, Woolworths Limited, Grant O’Brien today warned of subdued Christmas trading in Australia this year. Addressing shareholders at Woolworths’ Annual General Meeting in Sydney, Mr O’Brien said he believes trading in Australia will “remain subdued – most probably through to the next financial year”. His warning comes days after market research organisation, IBISWorld, forecasted a flat Christmas for food retailers in Australia. Mr O’Brien... ...Read more »

International research body, Innova Market Insights, has identified five key trends that it claims will impact the Australian food and beverage market through 2012 and beyond. According to Innova, the top trends for 2012 relate purity, authenticity and sustainability, as consumers continue to look for products with added value, despite the ongoing economic uncertainty. Innova’s top five trends are as follows: ‘Pure’ is the new ‘natural’: Natural products are becoming the rule rather... ...Read more »

Australian supermarket shoppers rank Aldi as top in providing customer satisfaction out of all the Australian supermarkets. This is according to the latest survey findings from the Australian market research company Roy Morgan. Roy Morgan’s ‘Supermarket Satisfaction Report’, released today, surveyed around 55,000 consumers in Australia in the six months to September 2011. Among Aldi customers, 92.5 per cent said they were “completely” or “somewhat” satisfied with the supermarket. 87.5... ...Read more »

Market research organisation IBISWorld has predicted that A$9.8 billion will be spent on food in Australia this Christmas – a timid 3.4 per cent increase spending in 2010. According to IBISWorld, with annual inflation of around 3.3 per cent in Australia, this means that most food retailers will simply be treading water. IBISWorld General Manager (Australia), Ms Karen Dobie said that in 2011, Australian shoppers have been savvy, seeking out the best value for money, the best range and the best... ...Read more »

Research findings published today by market researcher Newspoll suggest that almost half of Australians are ‘supermarket grazers’, who admit helping themselves to free produce while shopping in supermarkets. In Newspoll’s nationwide online survey of 1,214 adults between the ages of 18 and 64, almost half (46 per cent) of respondents said they taste food in the supermarket without paying for it. Younger Australians appeared to be the main culprits with the research suggesting that 18-34 year... ...Read more »

U.S. foodservice research and consulting firm Technomic has published a list of trends it predicts will shape the American restaurant industry in 2012. Based on its own market research, Technomic claimed the following developments will be making news in the U.S. restaurant industry in the coming year: Consumers seek a twist on the familiar: Consumers are in no mood to take risks, but novel flavours still tingle their taste buds, according to Technomic. For example, comfort foods with a twist (gourmet,... ...Read more »

The percentage of Australian consumers who recognise the ethical label Fairtrade has risen from 37 per cent to 44 per cent in the last year, according to a survey commissioned by Fairtrade. Fairtrade International commissioned international market researchers GlobeScan to survey 17,000 consumers in 24 countries. The total number of interviews per country ranged from 500 to 1,500. According to Fairtrade International, 55 per cent of the Australian consumers surveyed said they feel empowered to make... ...Read more »

In a reversal of fortune to the previous quarter (September 2010), Aussie confidence ended 2010 with a slight fall as consumers looked to curb expenditure in the wake of rising utility and food costs. Fourth quarter (December 2010) results from Nielsen’s Global Online Consumer Survey show that the Australian consumer has slightly lost their confidence, as a conservative drop of three points takes the Consumer Confidence Index score to 112 points. But the latest score is still a good five points... ...Read more »

Health experts have long touted the health benefits of antioxidant-rich red wine and recent research even suggests that light wine consumption (1-2 glasses a week) is no longer off limits for pregnant women. This holiday season consumers are sure to be lifting their glasses without guilt as Mintel research found that 85% of imbibers believe drinking wine in moderation can be good for your overall health. Additionally, 87% of wine drinkers believe red wine in moderation can be good for your heart,... ...Read more »

Australian consumers are being treated to considerable reductions in Champagne prices and making the most of it. According to market research leaders, The Nielsen Company, the average price of Champagne has fallen by over eight percent per bottle over the past two years, from $65.58 in 2008 to $60.43 for the 12 months ending September 2010. As a result, the Champagne segment has enjoyed a 17.5 percent increase in volume sales, over the 12 months to September 2010; a significant feat given growth... ...Read more »