Posts by theo@aacs.org.au

The continued expansion of foodservice across the convenience industry creates both tremendous opportunity and a deeper responsibility. A successful foodservice program cannot happen without a focus on delivering safe food to our customers. As we continue down the path of foodservice, our teams at the corporate and store level must have a solid grasp of regulations, food safety procedures and protocols to do it right. With this in mind, I hope you will join me at the 5th NACS Food Safety Forum, taking place April 13–14 in Schaumburg, Illinois. This retailer-specific event is designed for the c-store channel and is a must-attend for anyone who is developing, growing and sustaining foodservice programs. We are excited to welcome Amy Costello, senior director of food safety and quality assurance at Casey’s—the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States with nearly 2,900 c-stores across 19 states—as our new moderator. After four years of…

Hardware giant Bunnings has been given the green light to use facial recognition technology on customers in order to prevent crime. The administrative review tribunal this week reversed a 2024 ruling by the Australian privacy commissioner that had found Bunnings breached the privacy of store visitors by scanning and checking their faces. However, the tribunal agreed that Bunnings had not properly notified customers that their faces were being scanned. Bunnings deployed facial recognition in 62 stores in New South Wales and Victoria between January 2019 and November 2021, after a two-month trial in one store in 2018. Hundreds of thousands of people who entered the stores in this time had their faces scanned and checked against facial images of hundreds of people who had been banned from Bunnings stores. If there was no match, the image was deleted. Bunnings appealed the privacy commissioner’s decision to the administrative review tribunal. In…

A recent Fair Work Commission (Commission) decision provides timely guidance for employers navigating hybrid work arrangements and employee resistance to return-to-office policies. In Mr Richard Johnson v Papercut Software Pty Ltd [2026] FWC 178, the Commission upheld the dismissal of the employee, finding that his employment contract did not confer an unconditional right to work from home and that his ongoing refusal to comply with the hybrid policy warranted termination. Key facts Mr Johnson commenced employment with PaperCut in April 2022. His employment contract permitted him to work from his personal residence in line with company policy and stated that he “may be required to work at other locations from time to time”. The contract also required compliance with lawful and reasonable directions and company policies. During COVID-19, PaperCut allowed Mr Johnson to work from home with only intermittent office attendance. As COVID-19 restrictions eased, PaperCut undertook hybrid work trials…

Australia’s retail sector has entered a new era with the formal launch of the Australian Retail Council (ARC), a single, unified voice representing the interests of retailers of all sizes across the country. ARC is formed through the amalgamation of the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the National Retail Association (NRA), marking a historic milestone in more than 120 years of advocacy, support and industry leadership. ARC Chief Executive Officer Chris Rodwell said ARC is determined to ensure the efforts of the entire retail community are respected and celebrated across the nation. “I’m thrilled to celebrate the launch of the Australian Retail Council. ARC brings together the collective strength and expertise of two respected institutions into a single, powerful voice that represents every retailer – from family-owned businesses to iconic national brands,” he said. “Retail contributes $444 billion to the economy and is our largest private sector employer, with a…

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.85 per cent, citing renewed inflationary pressures driven by stronger-than-expected private demand, tightening capacity constraints and resilient labour market conditions. In a statement, the RBA said inflation had “picked up materially” in the second half of 2025 and was now expected to remain above target for some time. Household spending, business investment and housing market activity have all strengthened, while credit conditions remain accommodative and earlier rate cuts are yet to fully flow through the economy. The central bank said the decision to tighten policy further was unanimous and reiterated it would remain “attentive to the data” amid ongoing uncertainty around domestic demand, global conditions and the restrictiveness of monetary policy. Rate hike to impact household spending Retail and small business groups warned the move would further weigh on consumer confidence and already pressured…

Viva Energy Group has confirmed the appointment of Teresa Rendo as CEO for convenience and mobility, the oil company’s retail arm. Rendo joins Viva Energy with more than 25 years’ experience at the likes of Big W and Woolworths. She most recently served as MD of Myer’s Apparel Brands. “I am delighted to welcome Teresa to the executive leadership team of Viva Energy. Teresa is an accomplished retail leader with deep experience across trading, product sourcing and innovation as well as operational excellence in multi-brand environments,” Scott Wyatt, Viva Energy MD and group CEO said. Rendo joins Viva Energy after a disappointing sales period for its convenience and mobility business. Sales fell by 11.4 per cent in the most recent quarter from the previous year. The business also had to grapple with a lengthy search for a CEO, following Jevan Bouzo’s resignation last September. Wyatt added that Rendo “will bring…