Retail Voice CEO Message: 11 October 2023

Tomorrow, we host our annual ARA Christmas Insights Breakfast in Sydney – heralding in the all-important holiday trading period for our sector.

We will share first-to-market seasonal data insights and predictions from our leading industry experts.

The event is sold out, but if you weren’t able to secure a ticket; stay tuned to our website and socials for recaps and insights from the event.

In the lead up to Christmas Insights, the ARA – in partnership with Roy Morgan – released preliminary spending projections for the pre-Christmas period.

The data tells us that pre-Christmas spending in 2023 will edge in line with last year’s results, as shoppers increasingly tighten their budgets in wake of the cost-of-living crisis.

We’re looking at a total spend of $66.8 billion in the November to December 24 Christmas trading period – up just 0.1% or $74 million from 2022.

The marginal increase in spending this year is being inflated by supply chain price increases, particularly in food, and an overall increase in Australia’s population.

If we exclude these factors, overall Christmas spending would be in decline which is concerning, but also unsurprising as cost-of-living pressures catch up with Australians. You can read the full breakdown .

This week the ARA continued our advocacy around third tranche of the Albanese government’s workplace relations changes – appearing at the Senate Inquiry into the Closing Loopholes Bill on Tuesday.

We’ve listened carefully to what our members need to be able to operate sustainably and we are asking government to ensure the final legislation meets the needs of employees and employers alike. At this stage, there are significant elements of the legislation that we do not support and we’ll continue to work with the government, opposition and crossbench to get a better outcome. Our submission can be found .

Finally, I encourage you to check out a  by the ARA, in partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission, to educate retailers on the impact and drivers of workplace sexual harassment and aid them in addressing it when it occurs.

As always, our membership team is here to help if you need any assistance, so don’t hesitate to reach out via email or on 1300 368 041.
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