Retailers brace for peak trading period

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia). Australians 14 6 months to October 2018, n = 25,304. Base: Australians 14+ main grocery buyer. 6 months to Oct 2018, n = 6,644.

unnamedSydney Fish Market is expecting over 55,000 people and to sell over 400 tonnes of seafood on Good Friday next week.

Retailers will extend trading hours from 0500 to 1700 on March 25, as over 400 tonnes of seafood and 44 tonnes of prawns are sold. “With six seafood retailers all in one location, Sydney Fish Market offers the most diverse range of seafood in Australia,” said Sydney Fish Market GM, Bryan Skepper.

Australian Retail Association, executive director, Russell Zimmerman, said Easter is a key sales period for retailers, particularly those in the business of food and groceries.” “Stores in other areas are also able to pick up additional sales with targeted offers relevant to Easter.”

“We’ve seen innovative retailers grow sales each with the addition of limited edition Easter lines, or non-traditional products, such as chocolate hot cross buns.”

Zimmerman said spending on gifts and entertaining for Easter increases in the two weeks before Easter, reaching a peak in spending in the five days prior, from March 20 to 24.

“As stores are unable to trade by law on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, shoppers will be stocking up on all the necessities to tide them over for those days when they aren’t able to get to the shops,” said Zimmerman.

Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses estimates around 150 million hot cross buns will be consumed by Australians this Easter, while chocolate sales are expected to exceed $200 million.

“Hot selling items will of course be chocolate and sweets, hot cross buns, and seafood, and we’ll also see a general spike in sales of food and beverages as consumers make purchases for Easter celebrations with family and friends.”

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