Insights

Proposed Coles acquisition of three WA Supa IGA stores unopposed by ACCC

Leave a Comment / Business matters, Retailer news, Uncategorized /

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has announced today that it will not oppose the proposed acquisition of three Progressive Supa IGA supermarkets by Coles/Wesfarmers (see ‘Coles seeks clearance to buy 4 IGA stores & beef up WA presence’ C&I WEEK 24 April 2014). “The ACCC noted community concerns that the proposed acquisition would remove […]

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New brands, investment boosts retail fuel & convenience market

Leave a Comment / Business matters, Petrol, Retailer news /

Despite refinery closures such as Caltex Australia closing its Kurnell, Sydney refinery in 2014 when the site becomes a fuel import terminal, the retail petrol market is looking upbeat with new and established brands making big investments and rolling out new formats and products across the country. These include new players Puma Energy, Vitol (Viva

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Grocery Code a re run of 2008 or will it have real bite?

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The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) believes the new Grocery Code will have “real teeth” and is slightly different to the Grocery Inquiry of 2008 and the subsequent Horticulture Code. “We believe this code will strike the right balance and while we need an effective, competitive market, it will be an instrument of Parliament,

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Industry call for penalty rate reform, as youth unemployment spikes

253 Comments / Business matters /

Calls for reforms to penalty rates were made over the last week by key industry groups the Australian Retailers Association and the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) as Australia’s youth unemployment rate reaches a 12-year high. Peak retail industry body the ARA said reducing penalty rates is a crucial step in creating higher

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Call to reign in rampant supermarket majors, losses hide in food & liquor reporting

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Woolworths and Coles continue to open new supermarket and liquor stores unabated and move into country towns, high streets and suburbs, facilitated by compliant councils and state governments, taking more market share away from independent retailers. While the two majors are signing a code of conduct for their trading relationships with suppliers, their capacity expansion

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Small retailers slugged for interchange credit card fees

Leave a Comment / Business matters, Technology /

Large retailers are gaining volume discounts on credit card interchange fees, while small-medium-sized retailers including convenience stores are being slugged with much higher credit and debit card and eftpos ‘interchange’ fees than large national chains such as Coles and Woolworths. This is happening under an interchange fee system that hasn’t changed much since 2006-08, regulated

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Rates, earnings forecasts, retail trade data combine for a bright outlook

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Australian Bureau of Statistics Retail Trade figures released today show that Australian retail turnover rose 0.4% in July 2014, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 0.6% in June 2014. The largest contributor to the rise was cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (1.4%) followed by food retailing (0.5%), department stores (1.9%) and clothing, footwear and

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