John Rice, University of New England and Nigel Martin, Australian National University
For consumers of Australia’s retail sector, choice and convenience will continue to emerge. For incumbents unable to deliver on these outcomes, the future is bleak.
New analysis of the behaviour of petrol retailers in Perth over a period of five years shows how tacit collusion caused prices to increase by up to 50%.
Southern African economies need more organised and sustainable measures to increase the participation of emerging suppliers in supermarket value chains. This will help economic transformation.
A mix of economic unease and fears of the growth of online shopping is pushing retailers to offer ever-steeper discounts, but there’s a better strategy to make it through the holidays in the black.
Some of the bigger grocery retailers are moving away from convenience stores because of increased costs, difficulties reading the market and cannibalisation.
Interim Director, UWA Public Policy Institute; Associate Professor & Programme Co-ordinator (Masters of Public Policy), The University of Western Australia