On behalf of the whole ARA team, happy new year. I hope you made the most of the festive season.
Over the break, the Australian Bureau of Statistics released retail trade data for November 2023. Sales increased 2.2% year-on-year with increases in food related categories remaining strong and Black Friday sales delivering a vital boost in other categories.
The most significant year-on-year increases came from cafes, restaurants and takeaway (up 4.3%) and food retail (up 2.8%) as has been the case in recent months. Department stores also over-indexed (up 3.3%).
Pleasingly, household goods recorded its first year on year increase in 12 months (up 0.5%) and the only category to record a decline was clothing, footwear and accessories (down 0.1%). You can read our media release about the data here.
In other news, supply chains are still experiencing disruption heading into 2024 as industrial action continues to impact DP World’s port terminals in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle.
This continues to be a pain point for retailers around the country and unfortunately, there is no end point in sight. We are heartened to see Minister Tony Burke respond to calls to intervene but would like to see the Federal Government act in the national interest to ensure shelves remain adequately stocked in the coming months.
We’re also seeing delays abroad, with several top shipping companies pausing their ships to avoid the Red Sea after continued terrorist attacks on shipping.
In the US, the NRF 2024 Big Show is underway, and the ARA is there to bring you exclusive must-know insights. We’ve developed a hub for this content which you can find here.
Finally, we’re just over four weeks away from the most highly anticipated Australian retail event on the calendar – the ARA 2024 Leaders Forum.
Don’t miss your chance to hear first-to-market data trends, innovative thinking from industry experts, and network with the most influential group of retail executives from across Australia!
Tickets are still available – but selling fast. You can purchase them here.
