RX Group

Are you a senior retail leader navigating the future of retail? 🗽 Could you not make it to National Retail Federation "The Big Show" which is held in NYC every year in New York? 💥 This year's NRF " The Big Show" was the biggest and busiest since pre-COVID, packed with insights on AI, the intergenerational future of retail, Artificial Affection, Funtility, and the impact of the poly-crisis era. 💥 But with so much noise, what truly matters for retailers in New Zealand? Join an exclusive debrief where senior Kiwi retail leaders will unpack the most relevant, actionable insights from NRF—what’s hype, what’s game-changing, and what’s coming next (yes, Temu and Shein are a bigger threat than many realize). This is a limited-number session designed for high-level discussion, but spaces are limited. Interested in attending? Drop a comment or DM to find out more. 📅 Plus, a broader event will be held for all retailers on Wednesday, April 9—stay tuned for details!

Your weekly pulse on retail in Australia and New Zealand. WE 2 Feb 2025 delivering a sharp, insightful recap of the biggest headlines shaping the industry..... 🏪 Mosaic Brands Ltd to shut all stores, nearly 3,000 job losses: It has been confirmed that Mosaic Brands will shut down its entire store network, over 700 locations across ANZ. The closures to be completed by mid-April 25, will result in approx. 3,000 job losses. Brands: Noni B, Millers, Rockmans, Katies, Autograph, Crossroads, W.Lane, BeMe, and Rivers, entered voluntary administration in late 2024 with debts nearing $250 million. Administrators attempted to find buyers, but no viable offers were received. This marks one of the largest fashion retail collapses in ANZ’s history. 👗 Country Road Group's sales decline: owned by South Africa's WOOLWORTHS HOLDINGS LIMITED, reported a 6.2% drop in sales for the 26 weeks ending Dec 29, attributed to budget-conscious shoppers and aggressive discounting by retailers. Despite some improvement during the festive season, the overall retail environment remains challenging. 🥼 Chemist Warehouse and Sigma Healthcare finalise $34B merger: Shareholders of both Chemist Warehouse and Sigma Healthcare have overwhelmingly approved a merger valued at approx. $34 billion. This move will result in a vertically integrated pharmacy wholesaler and retailer, overseeing more than 1,000 stores across Australia. CW shareholders will hold approx. 85.7% of the newly formed entity, set to be listed on the ASX. The merger is anticipated to generate annual synergies of around $60m. 🇦🇺 Australia delays cross-media measurement adoption: AU has opted to pause its involvement in the global advertiser-funded cross-media measurement system, choosing to observe trials underway in the UK and US. The system aims to standardise how advertising reach and frequency are measured across different media platforms. AU stakeholders believe this "watch and wait" approach will allow them to adopt best practices and implement a more effective solution in the future. 👟 Accent Group Limited projects $80m earnings amid promo pressures: the parent co of brands such as Platypus Shoes and HYPE DC Pty Limited, anticipates earnings of approximately $80, for the first 1/2 of the fiscal year. They reported a 4.6% increase in total owned sales, including wholesale, and a 2.9% rise in like-for-like retail sales. The gross margin declined by 100 basis points compared to the previous year, attributed to a competitive promotional environment. 🇳🇿 Retail Sales Experience Downturn: Recent data indicates a decline in retail spending in NZ. While there was a 2% increase in retail spending for Dec024 compared to Nov, total spending for the month fell by 1% compared to Dec 2023. Overall, total sales for 2024 were down by 2.2% compared to 2023.

The beauty industry has changed—and not every brand has kept up. 💄✨ 🚀 Legacy retailers like The Body Shop once led the charge in ethical beauty, but in 2024, they’ve struggled to compete in a market dominated by MECCA Brands, Chemist Warehouse Ultra, Adore Beauty Group and Priceline Pharmacy’s new non-pharmacy Atomica concept. 💥The game has shifted—influencers, viral trends, and digital-first strategies are now the driving forces behind beauty retail success. 🤔 So, what went wrong for The Body Shop? And what can retailers learn from the rise of these new beauty powerhouses? 📖 Read my latest analysis on why some brands are thriving while others are fading into the past. 

Your weekly pulse on retail in Australia and New Zealand. Each week, The Retail Rundown delivers a sharp, insightful recap of the biggest headlines shaping the industry..... 🛒 Leadership Change at Woolworths Supermarkets: Spencer Sonn, Managing Director of Woolworths NZ, has resigned leaving in March to join WOOLWORTHS HOLDINGS LIMITED in SA. His tenure coincided with increasing regulatory scrutiny, including the Comm Comm to file criminal charges over pricing errors. A new MD will be announced in Feb. 🍃The Body Shop NZ to Close After Failing to Find a Buyer: The Body Shop NZ will close all 16 stores, marking the end of its 35-year presence in NZ. Liquidators have been appointed & the retailer will begin winding-down, with stores remaining open in "sale mode". The UK-based parent collapsed in Feb, but NZ was excluded from the international sale. The closure impacts 70 full-time employees. 🚨 Retail Surveillance Under Scrutiny in ANZ: Retailers in ANZ are increasingly using Auror, a crime intelligence platform that logs shoplifting and retail theft incidents, allowing police access. The system, used by major supermarkets and stores, has come under scrutiny with privacy advocates questioning the extent of surveillance, how long data is stored, and whether retailers should have the power to track individuals outside the legal system. 🩳 Rivers to close resulting in 650 job losses: Aussie clothing and footwear retailer Rivers will close all 136 stores by mid-April 2025, resulting in approx 650 job losses. This follows the collapse of parent company, Mosaic Brands Ltd, which entered voluntary administration in late 2024 with debts nearing $250m. Despite efforts by receivers to find a buyer, a sale could not be achieved. 🛍️ MYER and Premier Investments Shareholders Approve Major Merger: Shareholders of both MYER and Premier Investments have approved Myer's acquisition of Premier's apparel brands; Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portmans, Dotti, and Jacqui E. The merger will expand Myer's footprint to over 780 stores and add more than 17,000 employees across ANZ. This strategic move aims to create a leading omni-channel retail platform in the region. 📢 Catch to shut citing rising competition from global E-Commerce giants: Aussie online retailer Catch will cease operations on April 30, 2025, resulting in approx 190 job losses. Parent Wesfarmers, acquired Catch for $230m in 2019, cited intensifying competition from e-commerce giants like Temu, SHEIN, and Amazon as key factors in the decision. Despite efforts to integrate into its retail ecosystem, Wesfarmers says that closing the platform was in the best interests of shareholders. 🛍 NZ Govt to crack down on retail monopolies: The NZ government, led by Minister Nicola Willis, is intensifying efforts to address retail monopolies beyond the supermarket sector. With the Commerce Commission, this aims to scrutinise large retailers to promote fair competition and protect consumer interests.

We have done it incredibly tough in retail at the bottom of the world over the past 12-18 months. The expectations and requirements to "simply be" a quality retailer, that not only contributes to the community, environment, industry and economic ecosystem can be overwhelming. The bar is so high YET this bar doesn't apply to everyone. 💥 That's why "unfair play" from the likes of Temu and SHEIN need to be called out, recognised and actioned against. 💥 Tax avoidance, environmental impact, oversupply, worker exploitation - it needs to stop It is simply too idealistic to "ask shoppers to change behaviour." 😩 We all know the realities of human behaviour. 🤔 The dopamine hit, the gamification, the joy of a bargain sometimes can be simply too much. 🤔 Have you ever tried to get your kid off their device. These drugs are real which is why we think government action needs to be taken to protect our local retail industries in Australia and NZ. Check out below ⬇️

Our fearless leader is where she loves retail best (well in her top 5). She has soaking it all up! Make sure you sign up to get all her insights and learnings from #nrf2025: 💥 Xfiles Newsletter ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gawPPs_N 💥 Xfiles Unedited (sometimes some swearing 🤭 and unfiltered thoughts) - Subscribe on LinkedIn

🎵 On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, our team gave to thee… the RX family, as festive as can be! 🎄 As we wrap up our 12 Days of Christmas series, we’re ending with a celebration of the people (and one very special pup 🐶✨) who make it all happen. From our team to yours, we wish you a wonderful festive break filled with joy, connection, and a well-deserved recharge. Thank you for joining us on this retail journey, reflecting, celebrating, and sharing the best of the year gone by. We’re signing off for the holiday season and look forward to an exciting and impactful 2025. Happy Holidays from all of us at RX Group. See you in the New Year! #HappyHolidays #RXTeam #FestiveBreak #12DaysOfChristmas #SeeYouIn2025

🎵 On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, our team brought to thee… 11 cool ads from across the globe to see! 🎄 Christmas ads have become an art form, blending creativity, storytelling, and emotion to capture the magic of the season. From heartwarming narratives to clever humour, brands around the world have pulled out all the stops this year. We’ve rounded up 11 of the coolest Christmas ads that made us smile, tugged at our heartstrings, and left a lasting impression. Grab a cuppa, sit back, and enjoy the festive magic from across the globe!

🎵 On the Tenth Day of Christmas, our team brought to thee… A sharpshooter’s focus and precision to see! 🎯🎄 Meet Liz - a marketing specialist with an eye for detail and a talent for hitting her targets, both in the office and on the range. Outside of work, Liz takes on the sport of air rifle shooting, where precision is everything. A bullseye? Just 0.5mm wide (the size of a full stop on a newspaper from 10 metres away!). A perfect shot scores 10.9 points, with every fraction of a millimetre counting. Liz’s next big target? Qualifying for the Al Ain 2025 WSPS World Cup in Abu Dhabi, because why aim small when you can aim for the world stage? And if that wasn’t enough, Liz also runs her own business, FLOSSé - a game changer in nail polish with easy-to-use wraps, all while balancing life as a parent to two little ones who keep her leadership skills sharp. 👏 Here’s to Liz! Focused, determined, and always on target.

🎵 On the Ninth Day of Christmas, we bring to thee… nine exceptional customer experiences! 🎄 This holiday season, we’re celebrating the most creative and memorable ways brands have engaged their customers, immersing them in unique experiences, blending physical and digital worlds, and sparking emotional connections. From hardware store raves to mixed reality shoe showrooms, these moments show that innovation in customer experience knows no bounds. Whether it’s fostering nostalgia, creating unexpected magic, or leveraging pop culture, these experiences set the gold standard for customer engagement in 2024. Here’s our list of 9 standout customer experiences that inspired, engaged, and delighted customers across Australia, New Zealand, and the world: ✨ Bunnings Rave - Australia ✨ City Run by Adidas - Australia ✨ Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bear Windows - USA ✨ Uber Safaris – South Africa ✨ Pizza Hut’s 50th Birthday Buffet – New Zealand ✨ New World Xmas SOS Vending Machines - NZ ✨ Benemart by Benefit - Worldwide ✨ IKEA’s Doja Towel Moment - UK ✨ Bunnings’ Hammerbarn Rebrand with Bluey - ANZ Proof that creativity, connection, and customer focus can take experiences to unforgettable new heights. #CustomerExperience #RetailInnovation #12DaysOfChristmas #Engagement #CXMagic