Australian retailers are facing tougher times, as revealed by the latest figures.There has been a slowdown in spending growth as well as structural changes occurring in the retail sector in Australia. The slowdown facing the retail industry was acknowledged by the Reserve Bank governor, Glenn Stevens, in a speech given yesterday in Sydney. He noted that despite the fact that increase in household income has sped up over the past three years, Australian household consumption spending has in fact slowed... ...Read more »

As the credit crunch bites, cooking techniques like braising and stewing, have seen a surge in popularity among thrifty consumers. Slow cookers are the latest must-have gadget enjoying a revival from the appliance graveyard, according to UK retailer John Lewis. They have reported a recent boom in sales of the appliances, up 25% year on year, as cash strapped consumers move away from being a generation of ‘breast and sirloin’ to more affordable cuts of meat, suitable for braising and stewing... ...Read more »