SA retailers ‘not scared of Amazon

SOUTH Australian independent retailers “are not scared of Amazon” but need policy around deregulated hours to remain consistent to give it a good fight, the local lobby group says.

Frewville Foodland's Rachael Godley (bakery) & Sienna Polychronopoulos (deli) with some of the products on offer at store. The independently owned supermarket has been named the world's best international retailer by its global peers and enjoys strong customer support. picture: Bianca De Marchi.

SOUTH Australian independent retailers “are not scared of Amazon” but need policy around deregulated hours to remain consistent to give it a good fight, the local lobby group says.

In the lead up to the Labor Day public holiday on Monday, the South Australian Independent Retailers group yesterday slammed SA Liberal leader Steven Marshall’s election promise - made earlier this year - to deregulate retail shop trading hours to allow businesses to remain open, if elected.

“This is simply a push by the Big End of Town and the major shopping centre councils,” SAIR chief executive Colin Shearing said.

“The market pie remains the same and deregulation will only re-slice it. Consumers will not eat more and will not buy more. It just gets re-distributed and will not employ anymore people. Jobs will be lost.”

“The predicted impact of Amazon’s entry into Australia is a storm in a teacup. We are not against online shopping, which we have introduced in our local stores and we are not scared of Amazon.

“South Australian independents enjoy stronger local support than any other state (with 30 per cent of the market share); Australia is also different from other countries, so we’ll see what happens,” Mr Shearing said.

SA Independent Retailers represent 120 owners of the 236 independent supermarkets, which

employ about 15,000 staff.

“Deregulation only favours Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, at the expense of SA’s proud local fruit & veg, butchers, bakers, independent supermarket businesses and other locally owned general retailers,” Mr Shearing said.

SA Produce Market chief executive Angelo Demasi said it is important to support local independent businesses and listen to what they want.

“Deregulating trading hours will force our independent fruit and vegetable retailers to work 365 days a year,” Mr Demasi said.

“These businesses already work extremely hard to ensure consumers have a choice of where they would like to shop.”

Mr Shearing’s comments also exposed the deep division with the national Australian Retailers Association, which also represents supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths besides independents.

Both groups claim they are fighting for better industry conditions for the retail sector.

The 7500-strong ASA’s executive director Russell Zimmerman said retailing was changing and retailers would be “left behind if they put their heads under a pillow” and ignored changes like the entry of Amazon.

Multibillion dollar online US retail giant, which is setting up its first distribution centre in Melbourne, is set to deliver on its promise of 24/7 shopping and delivery in Australia, reportedly from next month.

“As Wesfarmers managing director Richard Goyder said last year, Amazon will eat us for breakfast, lunch and dinner if we don’t change our ways. If we are not where are customers are, they will go somewhere else,” Mr Zimmerman said.

Last month, the Adelaide Central Market announced its biggest trading overhaul in 148 years, launching online shopping, free wi-fi and its first mobile app to attract time-poor customers — and combat the threat of retail giant Amazon.