Consumers are taking the rampant omicron variant in their stride, lingering less at the major malls but shopping with more purpose, according to Scentre chief executive Peter Allen, who oversees the Westfield chain.

Mr Allen welcomed changes to the definition of close contacts agreed by the national cabinet, saying it will give shoppers more confidence while resulting in fewer retail staff being sidelined. The rise in case numbers and the relaxed definition of contacts had also made the QR code system practically redundant, according to the Westfield chief, who says it should now be scrapped.