Australia Retail Sector - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

Australian retail industry which is one of the key contributors to the country’s economy was on a growth trajectory from 2004 to 2019. The total retail turnover was accounted for approximately AUD 329.6 billion in 2019, which was around AUD 9 billion more than the value it recorded in the previous year. However, the sudden COVID-19 pandemic which hit the country in early 2020 has brought several changes to the retail industry in the country where it recorded a drop in the total number of sales transactions during the first and second quarters of 2020. Lockdown measures, physical distancing norms, and stay-at-home-to-stay protected protocols have turned one of the largest distribution channels in the country - the physical retailing stores to switch to omnichannel distribution to keep the competition alive.

Australia is one of the most urbanized societies in the world, with more than 24 million people (~90% of the population) living in the urban areas of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth, as well as in smaller cities and towns within 100 miles of the ocean. Factors such as internet advertising, high brand awareness rate, and the influencer’s trend for the product categories including personal care and household products, footwear and apparel and others are helping the market to record more revenue transactions in the country. The trend is anticipated to continue in the forecast period as well owing to the growing demand for them.

Key Market Trends

Demand for Food and Beverages Continue to be Strong Despite the COVID-19 Challenges

The demand for several products continues to rise in 2020 continuing the demand upward trend they have been recording in the study period. For instance, food and beverages recorded a growth of more than 11% in 2020 and valued at around AUD 151 billion. Other key important segments of the retail market including household care products including floor cleaners, laundry care products, etc., have also recorded a spike in demand in 2020. Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories segment which was one of the strong segments for more sale transactions during the study period record a fall in demand during the year.

Expanding Online Distribution Channel is Helping the Market to Record More Revenues

Online retailing is one of the faster-growing channels of distribution in the country owing to the high urbanization rate and the growing e-commerce shoppers in Australia. The online distribution channel recorded significant growth during the study period and the sudden COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled the growth of it during the year 2020. Lockdown measures, safe distancing protocols are the major factors that brought new customers to the channel whereas the factors such as strong payment gateways, new omnichannel practices including click-and-collect, faster delivery options including same-day, one-day deliveries for the majority of product categories including electronics, and a few health and beauty products have helped the segment to more transactions in the year 2020. The trend is anticipated to continue in the forecast period as well as the retailers have already started focussing on strengthening their distribution and digital payment facilities.

Competitive Landscape

The report covers major players operating in the Australian retail market. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. The organized retail market has been growing significantly with companies expanding stores and considering the business potential in new areas. Most of the unorganized retail outlets are increasingly being replaced with big retail hypermarkets, supermarkets, and other retail chains. This is expected to continue on a large scale during the forecast period, which will significantly lead to market growth.

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