The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the ABS August Retail Trade figures released today show a meager 0.3 percent growth in retail trade. ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman said other key economic indicators were released today pointing to concerns with several parts of the Australian economy. “The October 2010 ACCI Survey of Investor Confidence today shows deterioration in business conditions and dented business confidence over the September quarter. The AIG/Commonwealth Bank... ...Read more »

New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that retail sales rose by 0.6% in April, including a 1.3% increase in food retailing and a 0.7% drop in the Cafes, Restaurants and Takeaway Food Services sector. In current price trend terms, both sectors showed growth of 0.2%, an increase in the trend now for 23 consecutive months. The Australian Retailers Association described the month’s growth as ‘dismal’, suggesting that consumers were beginning to cocoon in their homes. “April... ...Read more »

Lower interest rates and the first economic stimulus package have helped shore up jobs in the retail industry, according to an analysis of new ABS jobs data, the Australian National Retailers Association said today. ANRA, which represents a number of Australia’s largest retail organisations including supermarket chains Coles, Woolworths and Franklins, reported that growth in the number of retail job losses had begun to subside. “The ABS Labour Force figures for the February quarter show... ...Read more »

Food retailers & restaurateurs will be watching their own cash registers to see evidence of Roy Morgan research which indicated that Australian consumer confidence increased for the fourth week in a row, as the Government’s stimulus packages was delivered to Australian families and pensioners. The latest weekly Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Rating increased 1.5 points from the previous week, to 99.9. The rating was 26.9 points below the average index registered in December 2007, but was... ...Read more »