earnings economy, business and finance retail

Supplier sees signs illegal tobacco crackdown hits mark

Metcash is shrugging off a fairly lacklustre trading year triggered by geopolitical uncertainty and cost-of-living pressures by reporting signs of a pick-up.

economy, business and finance merger, acquisition and takeover retail

UK retail giant makes hostile bid for Hype DC owner

The British company that owns Sports Direct is offering to buy Accent Group for $390 million, saying it has concerns about its management and chairman.

economy, business and finance retail

Popular goods retailer eyes regions for store expansion

Super Retail Group, which owns Supercheap Auto, Macpac, BCF and Rebel, is expanding its store footprint to 900 within five years under a new growth plan.

economy, business and finance online retail

Aussie retailers under pressure from e-commerce giants

Australians are continuing to turn to global e-commerce providers as rising costs weigh on household budgets, heaping more pressure on local retailers.

economy, business and finance gaming and lottery retail

Big lottery operator plans to step up the fun factor

The company that runs Powerball believes its digital operations have done a poor job of capturing the fun and joy of playing the lottery.

business (general) consumer confidence consumer goods economy (general) economy, business and finance retail trade policy unrest, conflicts and war

Retailers under attack from weak demand, rising costs

Australia's retail sector faces a pincer attack as the war in the Middle East increases costs and pushes consumers to the brink.

crime, law and justice insurance jewelry retail theft

‘I’m so scared’: jewel fraudster jailed for sham heist

The owner of a jewellery store and a man he hired for a fake robbery in a $2.5 million attempted insurance fraud could both walk free from jail in months.

addiction consumer goods crime gang activity health health organisations healthcare policy inquiry lobbying politics retail tobacco

‘Nightmare scenario’: illegal tobacco impact laid bare

Legitimate tobacco retailers say tax hikes have led to illicit sales decimating their income, with the legal market destined to be wiped out.

business (general) consumers crime, law and justice economy, business and finance food - consumer goods retail

Shoppers could pay more after Coles misconduct ruling

Supermarket prices could stay higher for longer following a ruling that Coles misled its customers with non-genuine discounts, according to one retail expert.

breaking_news business enterprises consumers crime, law and justice food - consumer goods judge laws retail

Watchdog seeks big penalty after Coles goes ‘Down Down’

The consumer watchdog will be seeking a "significant penalty" to act as a deterrent to Coles and others, after a court found the supermarket misled shoppers.

consumer goods crime, law and justice food - consumer goods litigation and regulation retail

Supermarket giants brace for ruling on ‘fake’ discounts

The consumer watchdog's landmark case against Coles and Woolworths over alleged "illusory" discounts is nearing a decision after 18 sessions over two hearings.

consumer goods economy, business and finance retail

Big bunnies and grog sales take a wartime shopping hit

Coles shoppers adjusted their spending patterns after the Middle East war began, spending less on liquor and even buying smaller Easter chocolate bunnies.

consumer goods consumers crime, law and justice economy, business and finance litigation and regulation retail

Woolies cites post-COVID instability in prices stoush

Australia's biggest supermarket chain has defended its discounts, as the consumer watchdog's joint court case against Woolies and Coles nears the finish line.

consumers inflation and deflation litigation and regulation prices retail

Woolworths bumped price of baby food before ‘discount’

Woolworths sold baby food at a higher price for just three weeks before taking off 50 cents and marketing it as a price reduction, a court has been told.

breaking_news business (general) consumers crime, law and justice litigation and regulation retail

Woolworths denies deception, blames inflation for hikes

Inflation and supplier negotiations drove prices higher, not a desire to mislead consumers with short-term hikes, Australia's biggest supermarket says.

employment retail

Massive robotic warehouse to deliver thousands of jobs

Construction has begun on the biggest warehouse ever constructed in Queensland - a robotic customer fulfilment centre for Amazon Australia.

conservation consumer goods endangered species environmental pollution hazardous materials nature retail

Owl be damned: regulator stops short of rat poison ban

Conservationists are pushing for a regulator to outlaw a common class of rodenticides having pervasive effects on owls and other native animals.

economy, business and finance inflation and deflation interest rate people - social issue retail

Wavering households ease urgency for more rate hikes

Economic data released this week will leave the Reserve Bank a little less concerned about underlying momentum in consumer demand, an economist says.

breaking_news economic indicator economy, business and finance interest rate politics retail

Good news is bad news: GDP growth fuels inflation fears

Australia's economy expanded by 2.6 per cent over 2025, above Reserve Bank forecasts, raising fears of an impending interest rate hike.

consumer goods economy, business and finance retail

‘Down Down’: Coles shares shamed as sales growth slows

Coles' half-year earnings have disappointed the market, with shares in the supermarket giant falling to their lowest level since August.

consumers crime, law and justice retail

Coles hits back, blames inflation for prices going up

Coles blames inflation for price rises during its "down down" campaign, denying it misled customers in a case brought to court by the consumer watchdog.

economy, business and finance food - consumer goods retail

Grocery giant hits 17-month high on ‘fantastic result’

Woolworths has delivered better-than-expected earnings while improving customer satisfaction scores, sending its shares soaring to a 17-month high.

economy, business and finance laws regulatory policy and organisation retail road transport

Coffee cups, truck laws leave shoppers with hefty bill

Different laws across Australian states are putting pressure on the retail sector, which wants legislative harmony between jurisdictions.

consumers crime, law and justice retail

Up up prices gave shoppers bang for buck, court told

A supermarket giant is defending claims it misled customers with its "down down" campaign, saying it offered value for money.

chemicals economy, business and finance mining natural gas pharmaceutical retail

Kmart, Bunnings building as Officeworks stays deskbound

Kmart and Bunnings performed strongly in the first half of 2025/26, owner Wesfarmers says, but another of its well-known chains is lagging.

consumers crime, law and justice retail

Supermarket giant ‘genuinely cares’ about customers

A grocery giant accused of false price discounts has told a court that it genuinely cares about customers while boosting its profits.

consumers crime, law and justice retail shopping

Shoppers care about ‘fair dinkum’ discounts, says Coles

A supermarket giant accused of manipulating prices has told a court the regulator is wrongly attributing "sophisticated thought processes" to grocery shoppers.

economy, business and finance parent and child retail

Baby store refits delivers ‘halo effect’ for retailer

Baby Bunting's nine revamped "stores of the future" are delivering the goods, helping the baby goods retailer grow overall same-store sales by 4.7 per cent.

consumers crime, law and justice retail

Coles points finger at suppliers for price changes

Australia's consumer watchdog has accused Coles of artificially increasing prices to create discounts, while the supermarket giant blames supplier cost hikes.

business enterprises computing and information technology consumer goods economy, business and finance retail technology (general)

Aussies splash cash on tech but prices tipped to rise

Consumers are spending big on smartphones and games consoles despite a tight economy, JB Hi-Fi says, but the cost of some gadgets could rise.

economy, business and finance inflation and deflation interest rate people - social issue retail

Signs of softening spending could stay RBA’s rates hand

A surprise slide in consumer spending has thrown more uncertainty around the Reserve Bank's next move on interest rates.