Buyers look to Australian-made goods after pandemic panic

The coronavirus crisis has spawned unprecedented interest in Australian-made products, but Australia’s Industry Minister says that will only translate to a sales boom if buyers judge goods on value, not price.

• Kickstarting NSW: Our road to recovery

The virus crisis has created unprecedented interest in Australian-made products, but the nation’s Industry Minister says that will only become a sales boom if consumers and businesses buy on value — not just price.

Visits to the official Australian Made website have risen by 130 per cent to 250,000 a month during the pandemic, and its social media engagement has soared 300 per cent.

Dresden Vision founder Bruce Jeffreys with his glasses made in a factory in Campbelltown. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Australian Made Campaign Limited CEO Ben Lazzaro said: “What we are seeing is an extremely enhanced pro-Australia feeling in the market place.”

Many businesses have twigged to this, with applications to use the logo up 400 per cent.

MORE FROM KICKSTART NSW:

Power companies warned to slash prices … or else

How huge gas project would bring regional town back to life

Escape to the country but keep your city salary

Industry Minister Karen Andrews told The Daily Telegraph there had been a “turning point with COVID-19”.

“It has really highlighted the issues with strong reliance on overseas nations,” she said.

“That has set a very good scene for people to say ‘why are we not doing this in Australia?’ She said the conversation had changed: “They do see manufacturing now as an opportunity for them and their kids to have jobs with a level of security.”

However the priority had to be ensuring the nation could produce what it needed in a crisis, including medicines and medical supplies as well as concentrating on strengths such as food which accounts for a quarter of the nation’s manufacturing.

Australian manufacturers “absolutely” could compete with imports, she said, but not if price was the only consideration, Ms Andrews said.

She challenged consumers and businesses to “look at purchasing on value not just price”, by thinking about quality and longevity, as well as “the ability to access it during difficult times”.

Bruce Jeffreys started his Sydney-based eyewear business because he was upset with “low-quality glasses made in China that break easily and are sold for a fortune to the Australian market.”

Six years on, Dresden Vision is selling eyewear that’s more durable, sustainable and fashionable than importers — by being smarter.

Industry Minister Karen Andrews has urged consumers to look beyond price when buying goods. Picture: Mick Tsikas

“We’ve had to reinvent the way we manufacture to out-compete China,” Mr Jeffreys said.

“We are proud of that. It’s not an easy thing.”

Australia’s only prescription glasses manufacturer, Dresden produces frames at a Campbelltown factory using recycled materials, including old $50 notes, salon shampoo bottles and beer keg caps.

Mr Jeffreys said the coronavirus crisis had been a wake-up call.

“You can tell there’s been a shift in sentiment,” he said.