Super Retail Group boss Anthony Heraghty says shoppers are extending their “great revenge” spending on sports, fitness, caravan and four-wheel-drive supplies, helping the leisure-focused group to record half year sales and profits well ahead of market expectations.

The chief executive of the group which owns Supercheap Auto, Rebel Sport, BCF and Macpac brands told The Australian Financial Review people still “want to live a little” and will travel locally if they might skip spending thousands of dollars on an overseas trip.