Pamela Siobháin Bishop

Calling all Australian shoppers to think before they shop 🤔 ‘Anti-slavery groups have raised concerns about the practices of fast fashion retailers such as Shein and Temu, calling for Australia to follow the lead of the United States and European Union and ban imports of goods manufactured with poor human rights practices. Clothing and accessories company Shein now has close to 800,000 shoppers each month in Australia and is on track to reach a billion dollars in annual sales, according to Roy Morgan research, while consumer goods store Temu has more than 1.2 million Australian shoppers, amassing an estimated $1.3 billion in annual sales.’ SMH - read the full article below. In today's conscientious market, the imperative to align our purchasing decisions with ethical standards cannot be overstated. As professionals driven by business ethics and sustainability, we must intensify our efforts towards procurement transparency and eschew support for forced labour and modern slavery. Each choice you make at the checkout has the potential to echo across global supply chains, influencing not just economies but lives. Before indulging in quicker, cheaper options, pause and ponder—do you truly need this, or does ethical business counsel a more judicious approach? By opting for quality goods that promise longevity, we actively contribute to virtuous circles of economic empowerment and sustainability, rather than exploitative systems that undermine human rights. We urge you to delve deeper into how you can be catalyst for social impact and end slavery through informed choices. Join us in placing people and planet first; your pivotal role in a fairer world awaits. #ethicalbusiness #freedomhuborg #business4good #socialjustice #endmodernslavery #ESG

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BEST BUSINESS STRATEGY NO 2 THAT I HAVE SEEN IN 2024 A few weeks back I posted that I felt the Better Living Group had found their way into my TOP 3 Best Business Strategy's 2024. A construction company not just with heart but taking action to make our work a better place to live in by working with the Royal Children Hospital Appeal. My second award goes to Midas a ladies shoe brand who is making countless women who cannot afford to buy new shoes gain confidence by collaborating with Ready Set Go. The article states: "Sure, we may not have control over how a first date or a job interview goes, but the clothes we wear can give us power over how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us, too. For many people though, the ability to choose how they’re seen by the world is a privilege out of reach. It’s in these moments of adversity that Ready Set, a Melbourne-based charity, steps in. " In a world where women feel often invisible or diminished at best this is great to see fashion and beauty stepping up to the plate. Who are your top 3? #brandawareness #brandstory #businessdevelopmentstrategy

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For the past 5 years, our team of analysts and leading retail experts have reached out to consumers and retailers alike to discover just what it is that makes Australian retail tick. Groundbreaking findings from this research form the basis of our Consumer & Retailer Sentiment whitepaper, featuring global comparisons through Ebeltoft Group's worldwide research. We then take these findings and share them with our CEO Community in a series of webinars that deliver: - key insights around emerging trends in consumer sentiment and behaviours - roadmaps that transform loyalty, retention, and customer centricity strategies - and improved focus on the trends that drive engagement. If you've missed any of these webinars, click the link below to watch now: https://lnkd.in/dgwPGw9j Future-proof your business today. Contact myself, Brian Walker, or Anastasia Lloyd-wallis now. ☎ +61 2 9460 2882 ✉ [email protected] 🌐 retaildoctor.com.au 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦 20-𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑢𝑟 2024 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑟 & 𝑅𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑟: https://lnkd.in/dVmhCgp4 Anastasia Lloyd-wallis Brian Walker Ebeltoft Group Retail Doctor Group The Retail Doctor Academy https://lnkd.in/g_mYEUB8 #AnastasiaLloydWallis #AusRetail #AustralianRetail #Benchmarks #BrianWalker #CEOCommunity #ConsumerBehaviour #ConsumerInsight #ConsumerInsights #ConsumerSentiment #DataDrivenRetail #Ebeltoft #FitForBusiness #FutureOfRetail #Insights #Limbic #LimbicConsultant #LimbicRetail #Live #LiveWebinar #NeuroRetail #Neuroscience #RDG #RDGInsights #Retail #RetailCEO #RetailDoctorGroup #RetailExcellence #RetailGrowth #RetailInnovation #RetailLeadership #RetailManagement #RetailNetworking #RetailSentiment #RetailStrategy #RetailTraining #RetailTrends #RetailUpskilling #RetailWebinar #SalesSkills #Sentiment #SustainableRetail #Webinar

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“Our Dine In range is intended to cater to busy and budget-conscious customers who are looking for quick and easy meals for their families that both kids and their parents will love,” Woolworths merchandise manager for chilled meals Matt Harbich ICYMI Woolies are trialling 'dine in' options in chilled. All SKUs can be cooked within 35 minutes and air-fryer friendly. With shoppers focus on COL (cost of living) the challenge may be sell price. For example, 1.6kg whole roast chicken dinner with herb roasted potatoes, corn cobs, carrot and pumpkin wedges for $25 vs hot whole roast chicken (deli) for $12 ... will be interesting to see sales in premium / UP stores vs value stores ...

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The playbooks of the past will limit our progress in the future, and diverse leadership is a worthy investment — it can boost profitability, innovation and sustainability. Research by Deloitte found that dismantling prescriptive gender norms, and prioritising gender equity could boost Australia’s GDP by $128 billion. Research shows that closing the gender gap could make the global economy richer by 26%. #leadership #womeninleadership #ASX300 #Diversity

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#TouchBaseThursday Exciting news from the Gold Coast! As we reflect on the incredible success of the 2024 Spoke to a Bloke Walk for a Bloke, we’re already looking ahead to 2025. Mark your calendars for 22nd March 2025 as we have secured the date for next year’s Walk for a Bloke, where on the Gold Coast alone we aim to bring together over 200 blokes walking 25km from Surfers Paradise to Coolangatta. Along the way, we’ll be sparking conversations, meeting new people, and raising much-needed awareness for men's mental health and suicide prevention. This walk is part of a global initiative, with over 15 locations participating, all working towards destigmatizing mental health and reducing suicide. We're calling on businesses and teams to join us—whether you were part of the 2024 walk like Onsite Rental Group, SEE Group, Winslow, Westpac, or one of our amazing sponsors such as RIGS Recovery , BODYSCIENCE®️, Earth Markets, the Coolangatta Hotel, or if you’re new to the cause! Hold the date, rally your colleagues, and get involved. If your business would like to form a team or become a partner with Spoke to a Bloke, don’t hesitate to reach out. Let’s keep the momentum going and make 2025 our biggest walk yet! #MensMentalHealth #SuicidePrevention #WalkforaBloke #SpoketoaBloke #GoldCoastWalk #CommunityMatters #MentalHealthAwareness

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Drawing on PetSure (Australia)’s data from 2023, their flagship report and white paper features useful insights, tips and expert commentary to provide Australian pet parents with an understanding of common pet health trends, conditions and the associated costs. PetSure Pet Health Monitor 2024 https://lnkd.in/grBgq96V

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Is it time to re-assess your sustainability program in light of your business strategy? At the Australian Institute of Company Directors Climate Governance Forum Pru Bennett recently spoke about the disconnect between sustainability reports and company strategy, while highlighting important "non financial" issues (such as customer and employee) don't make it to the board reporting, can often have extreme financial repercussions, such as recently seen with Qantas and others. I've taken the liberty to upload a brief snippet of this conversation as she highlights her research and discusses a 160 PAGE sustainability report entirely disconnected from the business in question's strategy. #sustainability #strategy #mandatoryreporting #nonfinancialreporting

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🛒 Supermarket Pricing Practices Under Scrutiny: What It Means for Australian Consumers Speaking on 3AW, Country Hour ABC, The World Today, 2BC. Featured on Yahoo, AAP Network The recent supermarket inquiry has revealed concerning issues in Australia's grocery sector, highlighting the financial challenges many families face when purchasing basic necessities. Key points: The ACCC has uncovered evidence suggesting major supermarkets may have been inflating prices while creating the illusion of discounts. This revelation calls for greater transparency in grocery pricing. The Supermarket Inquiry recommended that new mandatory rules for the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct be implemented. Trust between consumers and retailers is at stake, and action is necessary to protect Australian families. Concerns arise that these pricing strategies may have contributed to overall inflation. My thoughts: The ACCC's findings confirm what many consumers have long suspected about deceptive discount pricing. It's crucial that we take immediate action to protect Australian families and ensure they can access affordable groceries without fear of being misled. These practices affect individual households and may have broader economic implications. Their potential contribution to inflation is a serious concern that warrants further investigation and action. Economics @RMIT RMIT College of Business and Law #AustralianRetail #ConsumerRights #GroceryPricing #ACCC #EconomicPolicy Article source:

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Brand Reach Up the Hill at Loakin places great importance on our attendance at trade shows as a key marketing tool. These events offer a unique opportunity to present our eco-friendly, natural, and nut-free herbal products to a diverse audience, allowing them the opportunity to share in the rich Indigenous Secwepemc cultural heritage and traditional knowledge behind our offerings. Trade shows facilitate direct engagement with new and current customers, providing valuable feedback and fostering personal connections that build trust and loyalty. Additionally, these events enhance brand visibility and credibility, helping Up the Hill at Loakin to expand their market reach and promote sustainable, holistic wellness practices on a larger scale. Would you like more information on Up the Hill at Loakin trade show experiences and ou botanical or wellness products? www.upthehillatloakin.com #marketingstrategy #tradeshow #marketingtool #traditionalknowledge #engagement #brandvisibiling #sustainable #loakinbotanicals #loakinherbs #makeitaloakingift #customerengagement #sacredindigenousherbs&wellness

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If you want to hear more about the Anihana journey and why we are doing a capital raise, check out my podcast with Simon Pound ☺️

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Retail will always fail with change-adverse leadership. Retailers routinely fall into the trap of appointing operationally superior leadership, lacking strategic perspectives that constrain adaptability and responsiveness to change. Far too few understand the essence of the marketing concept, completely ignorant of the science of marketing and, like many, perceive marketing to just be advertising, promotion, selling and PR. Street-smart acumen undermines willingness  to commission, examine and respond to market research … They relish short-term success with no incentive to stride ahead of the game, to pursue new sustainable competitive advantage or to believe they can improve ROI by delivering ongoing win-win for employees, stakeholders and customers. It resists acknowledging the inevitable consequences and doesn’t embrace change letting innovative new challengers capitalised by moving faster and better to market needs Retailers love doing what they’ve always done – getting the same response – not acknowledging that decreases in customers, in the segments that their retail offering once satisfied: Ignoring or unaware of the huge potential to fulfil the new segments that have arisen or are soon to reach 'critical mass'.

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I was recently asked to contribue to a discussion of " How you can lead effectively in the face of failure with a growth mindset." As one of the first female sales women in FMCG in Regional Victoria, I ate failure for breakfast. Being a female B2B sales person more than 3 decades ago, I learnt after being kicked out of many businesses, that I couldn’t have a business conversation with the male shop keeper before I built a relationship with their wife. Opportunities present themselves in many different ways and very rarely as soon as you walk through the customers doors do they embrace you and want to discuss business. You need to identify what you want and then how will you get that, so that when you hear “ Get out of my business” , it is only a speed hump on your journey to success.

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Shares in both Coles and Woolworths have fallen just over 5% since Mondays announcement of legal action by ACCC over claims "misleading" promotional activity. Now our two major supermarkets will face further investigation as ACCC will call the C.E.O.s to front public hearings to face questions about profit margins, promotions, and power dynamics with suppliers. “The difference between our inquiry and the Senate inquiry will be that our questions in relation to the executives will be based on the documents and the data we have available,” Deputy Chair of ACCC Mike Keogh said. Shopper trust, supplier support ,internal morale and shareholer value are all at risk as issues related to ethical corporate behaviour in the supermarket industry go on "display" again. ( and expect a more factual deeper dive into their relations with Australias produce growers) #Supermarkets #ACCCinquiry #EthicalBehaviour #ShopperandSupplierfocus #AtRisk #Companytrust #ShareholderValue #SupplierSupport

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🚨 Commerce Commission blocks Foodstuffs merger proposal 🚨 The New Zealand Commerce Commission has declined the proposed merger of Foodstuffs North Island Limited and Foodstuffs South Island, citing concerns that it would substantially lessen competition in the grocery marketing . If approved, this merger would have combined the two co-operatives into one national grocery entity, further consolidating the market and reducing the number of major grocery buyers from three to two, alongside Woolworths. 🛒 What this means - The merger was expected to result in greater buyer power for the combined entity, potentially lowering prices for suppliers but raising concerns about reduced supplier innovation, choice, and consumer product quality. - Consumers could face fewer choices in grocery products and higher risks of price coordination between the two dominant players, Foodstuffs and Woolworths. - This decision also emphasises the importance of maintaining competitive dynamics in the sector, ensuring room for new players and a diverse retail landscape. 💡 Pros - Protects consumers from potential price hikes and maintains competitive pressure in the grocery sector. - Supports smaller suppliers by preventing a significant reduction in buyers for their products. - Helps avoid price coordination risks between the two largest grocery retailers. ⚠️ Cons - Foodstuffs argued the merger could have generated operational efficiencies, benefiting suppliers with lower costs and providing more consistent pricing across the country. - Missed opportunity for greater scale economies that could reduce prices for consumers over time. - Foodstuffs operates over 500 stores across New Zealand under its three main banners: PAK'nSAVE New World, and Four Square ​ - In comparison, Woolworths New Zealand (formerly known as Countdown Supermarkets has 194 supermarkets directly, along with approx. 70 SuperValue and FreshChoice stores​. - This highlights the scale and competition between the two major players in New Zealand's grocery sector and the efficiencies Foodstuffs New Zealand would have gained would have been significant. - Also Foodstuffs stores are franchise operated. While individual owner/operators are a core part of each and every community, they are also in business to make money. However, in my personal experience, owner/operators are typically well balanced in making a reasonable profit, being a great employer and contribution positively to their community. When they face competition they are fierce rivals. 🤔 For New Zealand shoppers and the grocery market, the decision ensures competition remains robust, though Foodstuffs misses out on potential efficiency gains. I can see both sides of the coin, but if I was Foodstuffs, this move makes perfect sense.

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