Australian Retail Research Articles

'It'll save your lungs': early insights into nicotine pouch use and perceptions among young Australians.

Flavoured oral nicotine pouches, manufactured and marketed by global tobacco companies, such as Philip Morris International (PMI) and British American Tobacco, entered the Australian market in 2024. Despite it being illegal for Australian retailers to sell nicotine pouches, the products have been seized in government enforcement raids of Australian retailers, and have also been promoted to young people by Australian social media influencers. The Australian Federal Government has recognized and expressed concern about the rising profile of nicotine pouches in Australia and the promotion of these products as unproven vaping and smoking cessation aids. Yet to date, there has been no published research on nicotine pouches in Australia. Using focus group and interview data collected in early 2024 as part of Generation Vape, an ongoing Australian national study into adolescent and young adult vaping and smoking, we explored their attitudes to and perceptions of nicotine pouches, including first-hand experiences and drivers of use. The participants perceived an increase in the use and popularity of oral nicotine pouches, including PMI's Zyn brand, for reasons including claimed sport performance enhancement, vaping cessation and as part of partying and clubbing culture. Some participants perceived nicotine pouches to be a 'healthier' alternative to smoking or vaping. It is critical that research on nicotine pouches is collected now to inform public health policy and to prevent the proliferation of a new class of addictive recreational nicotine products in Australia.

Voluntary versus mandatory food labels, Australia.

To compare uptake of the voluntary Health Star Rating front-of-pack nutrition labelling system with uptake of a mostly mandatory country-of-origin label in Australia over a similar period. We used data on numbers and proportions of products carrying health stars and country-of-origin labelling recorded annually between 2015 and 2023 through surveys of four large Australian food retailers. We determined the proportion of products with health stars and country-of-origin labels for each year by dividing the number of products carrying each label by the total number eligible to carry that label. The uptake of the voluntary Health Star Rating increased steadily between 2014 and 2018, reaching a maximum of 42% (8587/20 286) of products in 2021 before decreasing to 39% (8572/22 147) in 2023. Mandatory country-of-origin labelling uptake rose rapidly and was found on 93% (17 567/18 923) of products in 2023. In categories where country-of-origin labelling was voluntary, uptake by 2023 was 48% (3313/6925). In our 2023 sample of 22 147 products, 11 055 (50%) carried country-of-origin labelling only, 7466 (35%) carried both health star and country-of-origin labelling, 1106 (5%) carried health star labels only and 2520 (11%) carried neither label. The experience with country-of-origin labelling shows that widespread and rapid food labelling change can be achieved when required by law. The Australian government should mandate the Health Star Rating without delay. Australia's experience supports other jurisdictions in implementing mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling as well as updates to global guidance to recognize mandatory labelling as best-practice in delivering benefits to consumers.

No- and low-alcohol beer and the sponsorship of sport in Australia: An audit of sponsorship partnerships and analysis of marketing tactics.

Alcohol sponsorship of sport is associated with increased alcohol consumption. Little research to date has examined the sponsorship of sport by no- and low-alcohol (NoLo) beverage brands, despite concern that the marketing of these products might be harmful to young people. This study had dual aims: to identify sporting partnerships between NoLo beers and Australian sport, and examine marketing tactics used in social media advertising to promote these partnerships. Our sample included NoLo beers sold online from three large Australian alcohol retailers. First, we performed a qualitative content analysis of partnerships between NoLo beers and sport using publicly available online information. We then analysed the 118 social media posts of NoLo brands linked to these partnerships using a coding framework adapted from the alcohol literature. Of 34 brands, 13 had sporting sponsorship partnerships across a range of spectator and participatory sports. Key marketing tactics identified on social media were activations, time-and event-specific drinking, influencer marketing, competitions, and corporate social responsibility. In particular, NoLo brands aim to disrupt the sports drink market by advertising their products as healthy recovery drinks, or 'sports beers', through activation events. Brands are also using influencer marketing and competitions, two tactics shown to be particularly persuasive for young people. NoLo beer brands strategically align with Australian sports to promote NoLo consumption. As they are classified as soft drinks in Australia, NoLo beverages are not regulated like alcohol. Future discussions around sports sponsorship and advertising regulation must consider NoLo products.

Building supply chain resilience in small and medium-sized clothing retailers in Australia: an empirical study

PurposeIn today’s complex and globalised business setting, Australian clothing retailers are ever more vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. Supply chain resilience reduces the effect of a disruption, which permits the members of a supply chain to respond aptly to disruptive events. This study, hence, aims to uncover the details of how the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of clothing retailers in Australia build supply chain resilience and what are the major issues experienced by the SMEs while building resilience.Design/methodology/approachThis study is carried out using a descriptive qualitative research design, and data are collected from semi-structured interviews with key informants from managerial levels within the Australian clothing retailers’ businesses.FindingsThis study identifies five enablers, namely, collaboration, multi-sourcing, visibility, flexibility and information systems, that the SMEs of clothing retailers mostly consider to achieve resilience in the supply chain. This study also finds that SMEs’ capabilities, cost and financing, lack of managerial autonomy and the inability to create redundancy are the key impediments hindering SMEs from attaining the expected level of resilience.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by being one of the first empirical studies to explore the SMEs of clothing retailers’ supply chain resilience in the Australian business context, which can add valuable insights for academics and practitioners in guiding supply chain design decisions for the SMEs in other sectors.

‘The poor man’s overdraft’: a longer history of Australian retail credit

Most histories of Australian cultural life pin the start of consumer credit’s popularity to the 1950s and the heady days of the early long boom. This article reveals the longer history of consumer credit in Australia. Middle-class Australians have long made use of forms of credit provided by retailers such as monthly accounts to supplement their incomes, take advantage of special offers, deal with unexpected expenses, or indulge impulsive desires. Those with more limited and less regular incomes, working-class families unable to secure credit from banks or department stores, also became enmeshed in credit culture, but through a different route. An early form of retail credit – the cash-order system – played a crucial role in preparing working-class consumers for the postwar boom in credit culture. Emerging at the beginning of the twentieth century, the cash-order system provided a bridge between older forms of working-class retail credit such as the tick and the slate, and modern forms such as the department store budget accounts that would become widely available after the Second World War.

Framing retail crime through an environmental criminological lens: insights from Australia and New Zealand

This article aims to provide insights regarding crime problems affecting the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) retail sector, focusing primarily on the size and range of criminal behaviours. The research incorporated an online survey of retailers and police statistics. The study finds that the cost of retail crime increased by 28% over the last 4 years, against 25% growth in revenue. It also reveals that shoplifting remains the most significant and costly economic problem facing retailers, followed by employee theft. Additionally, fraud, notably in online channels, will remain a concern for the foreseeable future. We examine potential explanations and interpretations for retail crime through an environmental criminological lens. Increased research and involvement of researchers hold tremendous potential for reducing retail crime and preventing its growth in the future.

Electronics and Expertise: Constructing the Smart TV on the Retail Sales Floor

This article considers how TV retailers shape public understanding of television as a cultural technology and household device. Drawing on interviews with Australian TV retailers, we identify four sales strategies used when selling smart TVs in-store: simplification, avoidance, empathy, and exploitation. Our analysis shows how these sales strategies seek to minimize and manage the smart TV’s technological complexity, thus downplaying its interactive potential. We critically assess the assumptions about technological expertise that underlie these strategies.

The influence of neurodiversity management on affective commitment and turnover intention: the role of neurodiversity awareness

PurposeIn the wake of labor shortages in the retail industry, there is value in highlighting a business case for employing neurodivergent individuals. Drawing on signaling theory, this study explores whether perceived neurodiversity management (neurodiversity policies and adjustments) helps enhance neurodiversity awareness and affective commitment and whether affective commitment leads to lower turnover intention.Design/methodology/approachA cursory content analysis of publicly available documents of randomly selected four retail organizations was undertaken, which was followed by an online survey of the Australian retail workforce, leading to 502 responses from supervisors and employees.FindingsThe content analysis shows that retail organizations barely acknowledge neurodiversity. The findings of the main study indicate that neurodiversity policies are positively associated with both neurodiversity awareness and affective commitment, while adjustments were positively linked to affective commitment. Moreover, affective commitment was negatively associated with turnover intention. Affective commitment also mediated the negative effects of neurodiversity policies and adjustments on turnover intention.Originality/valueThis study supports, extends and refines signaling theory and social exchange theory. It addresses knowledge gaps about the perceptions of co-workers and supervisors in regard to neurodiversity management. It provides unprecedented evidence for a business case for the positive attitudinal outcomes of neurodiversity policies and adjustments. The findings can help managers manage neurodiversity for positive attitudinal outcomes.

Diversity of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria isolated from Australian chicken and pork meat.

Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are frequently isolated from retail meat and may infect humans. To determine the diversity of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in Australian retail meat, bacteria were cultured on selective media from raw chicken (n = 244) and pork (n = 160) meat samples obtained from all four major supermarket chains in the ACT/NSW, Australia, between March and June 2021. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed for 13 critically and 4 highly important antibiotics as categorised by the World Health Organization (WHO) for a wide range of species detected in the meat samples. A total of 288 isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to identify the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, virulence genes, and plasmids. AST testing revealed that 35/288 (12%) of the isolates were found to be multidrug-resistant (MDR). Using WGS data, 232/288 (81%) of the isolates were found to harbour resistance genes for critically or highly important antibiotics. This study reveals a greater diversity of AMR genes in bacteria isolated from retail meat in Australia than previous studies have shown, emphasising the importance of monitoring AMR in not only foodborne pathogenic bacteria, but other species that are capable of transferring AMR genes to pathogenic bacteria.

Determination of Ca, P, K, Na, and Mg in Australian Retail Pasteurised Milk Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP OES)

A rapid and simple inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP OES) method was developed and validated for the determination of macroelements including calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and magnesium (Mg) in Australian retail pasteurised milk. The milk samples were digested using the mixture of 70% HNO3 and 30% H2O2 (2 : 1, v/v) in an open‐tube digester block at 120°C for 4 h. The validated ICP OES method showed good linearity for all elements (R2 > 0.9993). The method limits of quantification (LOQ) for Ca, P, K, Na, and Mg were 19.85, 8.97, 100.8, 41.92, and 11.56 µg·g−1, respectively. Recoveries were in the range of 91.54–116.0%. Repeatability and interday reproducibility expressed as the relative standard deviation (% RSD) was below 5.0%. The contents of macroelements in 6 retail pasteurised milk samples were between 1099.32 and 1348.65 µg·g−1 (Ca), 914.01 and 1091.21 µg·g−1 (P), 1362.76 and 1549.74 µg·g−1 (K), 288.89 and 323.22 µg·g−1 (Na), and 97.62 and 110.57 µg·g−1 (Mg). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that retail pasteurised milk samples were distinctly separated into four groups on the first two principal components (PCs). The difference in the macroelement content between milk brands might be affected by milk regions.

Australian Stakeholder Perspectives on Healthier Retail Food Environments for Toddlers—The Era of “Band Aids and Small Inroads”

BackgroundA healthy diet in young children is crucial for optimal growth and development. However, many toddlers (1-3 y) consume suboptimal diets, and as a result, are at a high risk of experiencing negative health outcomes. Moreover, minimal progress has been made to improve the healthiness of retail food environments for toddlers to date despite the potential and advocacy for the issue. ObjectivesTo gain insight into stakeholder perceptions and opinions on the healthiness of Australian retail food environments for toddlers, as well as perspectives on the options and barriers to improve their healthiness. MethodsQualitative, online study utilizing semi-structured individual interviews with 27 key stakeholders from food industry, academia, nongovernment organizations, public health, and government in Australia. ResultsMost stakeholders agreed that retail food environments for toddlers were not health promoting. Stakeholders identified that a multifaceted approach including nutrition education and strong government mandated regulation were essential to improve the healthiness of retail food environments for toddlers. Interviews also highlighted the main perceived barriers to progress, and reasons for policy inaction in this area are the food industry and government support. Many stakeholders were concerned that child health is being undermined due to the government favoring business needs over public health. ConclusionsStakeholders in this study overwhelmingly agreed that there is more that can and should be done to create health promoting retail food environments for toddlers in Australia. Stakeholders identified a range of strategies that can be used to improve the healthiness of toddler food environments, but advocacy efforts are being undermined due to government inaction. Stakeholders believed that strong governance is required to create equitable, sustainable healthy retail food environments for young children. Improving the healthiness of retail food environments for young children will not only reduce diet related disease across the lifespan but will help to address financial and societal costs of a poor diet.

Supporting Sustainable Futures in Retail: An Exploratory Study on Worker Health, Safety and Wellbeing in Australia

Health, safety, and wellbeing (HSW) have been studied widely in different contexts and are associated with social, organisational, and human sustainability. However, there is limited research about HSW in retail that includes both workers and managers to offer a more holistic and inclusive perspective. To fill this gap, this exploratory and descriptive cross-sectional study employed a 21-item quantitative and 3-item qualitative online survey and engaged a representative sample of 271 workers and 109 managers/owners in Australia. The results showed retailers provide a reasonably adequate technical and social work environment, and workers perceive their job tasks as averagely challenging. Nevertheless, workers still experienced adverse HSW effects frequently, partially attributed to a poor organisational environment. Workers and managers were markedly aligned regarding the current HSW status in Australian retail and agreed that health and safety were not focal areas of their businesses. Worryingly, both groups viewed the unfavourable impacts of work as inescapable, indicating a commonly shared fatalistic perspective that does not align with sustainability practices. Although workers appreciated their employment-related benefits, they also acknowledged that their HSW was not fully supported, presenting unique opportunities for the workplace and policymakers to address such issues and support the economic and social sustainability of retailers.

The moderating role of high- and low-involvement product types on customer loyalty and satisfaction in banking: an Australian perspective

PurposeThe study aims to develop a holistic model identifying the constructs that impact customer loyalty in retail banking and introduce product type as a moderating variable to the model.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model of customer loyalty is introduced and empirically tested with 416 valid samples obtained from Australian retail banking customers. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis.FindingsThis study confirms the moderating effect of high- and low-involvement products on the relationship between customer loyalty and satisfaction, trust, service quality, commitment and perceived value. Surprisingly, the effect of satisfaction on loyalty was much stronger with low-involvement product types and the effect of commitment on loyalty was much stronger with customers who utilise high-involvement products.Research limitations/implicationsThe study uses a sample population in Australia who utilise one of the top four banks and investigates three product types. Further research could expand the product selection and include customers who use credit unions and other banks not in the top four categories.Originality/valueThis study is the first to confirm the moderating effect product type has on the customer loyalty relationship in retail banking in regard to high- and low-involvement product categories. The research provides a deeper understanding of the factors that influence customer loyalty and identifies which types of products influences customer loyalty the most. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of understanding the different needs and priorities of customers using different product types in order to effectively influence their loyalty.

Development of a Scoring Tool for Australian Rural Food Retail Environments.

Current tools scoring the healthiness of food retail outlets do not reflect outlets found in rural locations. This study aimed to adapt pre-existing Australian scoring tools to represent non-metropolitan areas. Rural nutrition experts were identified, and a modified Delphi technique was used to adapt two pre-existing, food-scoring tools in five iterative stages. Stages included identifying all relevant outlets, providing a description and score for each, ensuring consistency between outlet scores and pre-existing, metro-centric tools, and providing instructions for correct use. Six rural nutrition experts were identified and engaged in the modified Delphi technique. The final tool consisted of 12 categories of food outlets and listed 35 individual outlets. Consistent with pre-existing Australian tools, scores ranged from +10 to -10 and included descriptions reflective of rural retail outlets. Scores were based on whether the majority of foods offered within the outlet were consistent with foods recommended in national health guidelines. The developed tool was designed to accommodate the diverse nature of food retail outlets found in non-metropolitan areas. This study assists in explaining the link between the food environment and health in populations living rurally.

The impact of superannuation fund choice legislation and the global financial crisis on Australian retail fund flows


 
 
 We examine the extent to which cash flows into the Australian superannuation funds are affected by the past performance of the fund, the riskiness of the fund, the choice of superannuation fund legislation, and the global financial crisis. Both retail and wholesale investors base their investment decisions on the past performance of the funds. There is little evidence that the riskiness of the fund returns has any significance effect on the flow of funds. Legislation has resulted in more inflows into managed funds. There is more inflow into managed funds and equity funds since the period of the global financial crisis.
 
 

Histories of Australian retailing

ABSTRACT This special edition contributes to the growing scholarship on Australian retail history. It collates a range of work that represents and extends existing themes in Australian retail historiography with the aim of encouraging further work in the field. Topics covered include: Chinese storekeepers in remote regional communities, transnational flows of goods to these communities, colonial arcades and department stores, intercolonial rivalry and boosterism that incentivised the early development of large retail spaces, entrepreneurial business women, Australian milk bars, the influence of diasporic migration on food cultures and leisure activities, advertising in twentieth century department stores, urban planning, and post-war shopping centre development. This article provides an outline of these articles as well as an overview of Australian retail historiography.

The ‘Most dramatic evidence of progress and expansion’: building regional shopping centres in western Sydney in the 1970s

ABSTRACT This article charts the development of regional shopping centres in Sydney’s western suburbs during the 1970s. It shows how rapid population growth on the metropolitan fringe encouraged investment in large-scale retail property development that accommodated the needs of the city’s biggest department store firms. Many of these firms had been involved in the first wave of shopping centre development in middle-ring suburbs in the 1960s. In the 1970s, however, almost all design and construction of regional shopping centres was undertaken by specialist development firms that had honed their capabilities working for retailers during the 1960s. Retailers and developers conducted research to determine ideal site locations, but were guided by the prescriptive hand of metropolitan planning authorities. This meant that Sydney’s retail landscape reflected diverse influences: American style shopping centres were built in locations determined by European planning ideas and occupied by Australian retailers. Planning regimes also constrained subsequent development ensuring that the regional shopping centres built in Sydney’s western suburbs in the 1970s remain at the top of the region’s retail hierarchy today.

Retail Investor Trading Intentions: New Evidence from Australia*

Using a quarterly survey of 23,000 Australian retail equity investors, we study the relationship between beliefs about risk and returns and stock market intentions regarding holding, buying and selling. We provide evidence that investor intentions regarding buying or selling are primarily characterised by risk and return expectations, but sensitivity to their beliefs about risk and returns is greater for the intention to sell than to buy. In contrast, demographic factors such as gender, income and age play a key role in the decision to hold rather than trade. The results have significant ramifications for stock market participation and trading intensity in Australia.

The role of local government in marketing small city retailing: Examining the gap between perception and reality

ABSTRACT The role of local government in ensuring cities and town centres are attractive options for shoppers is well documented in the international literature. However, there is a paucity of research on the role and responsibility of local governments in tackling the complex marketing issues facing town and city retailing, particularly in regional and rural areas in Australia. Australian retailing differs markedly from retailing in the UK, U.S.A and Europe in a number of ways including fewer large, global retail stores, fewer large shopping centres and malls, and a slower uptake of online shopping. This paper reports a set of findings from a larger published study on consumer and retailer perceptions of the role of local government in the marketing of city-centre shopping and improving the overall experience for visitors in a regional Australian city. This research was commissioned by the local council. Traders and shoppers (N = 367) were surveyed on their perceptions of various aspects of city shopping. Qualitative data were analysed using the software program Leximancer to extract themes and concepts regarding specific actions the local council should take to improve city shopping and market the CBD to better attract shoppers and visitors. Findings show four main themes requiring council attention, as well as four additional and important retail-related factors identified by participants as the responsibility of the local city council, but which are actually not within the remit of local government. The findings of this study extend existing literature on town centre and small city retail marketing and are valuable for local governments, business associations, marketing organisations and individual business owners. Findings will assist efforts in two crucial activities: the marketing of cities and towns as attractive destinations for shoppers and visitors and improving and enhancing communication between councils and key stakeholders about the role of local government in marketing city-centre retail places

Positioning a controversial product: how Australian retailers are positioning e-cigarettes as ‘healthy’

ABSTRACT E-cigarettes are controversial: advocates claim that using them (‘vaping’) is safer than traditional cigarettes, and they should be available for open sale. Opponents argue that the long-term health consequences of vaping are unknown and that even if it is healthier than smoking, encouraging people who would never have smoked to start vaping exposes vapers to unknown risks. In a comprehensive study of the Australian market – a market characterised by highly restricted sales of e-cigarettes and nicotine – this paper assesses how retailers are positioning (for some, arguably mal-positioning) and promoting their e-cigarettes (for some, illegally). The results show that while mainstream discussion of vaping focuses on them being safer than cigarettes, the positioning by retailers is very different, emphasising e-cigarettes as an attractive and safe option. Such a positioning is likely to encourage non-smokers to take up a product with clear risks, and which has no health benefit for them.