Industry News

A coalition of shopping centre, retail, fuel and convenience, pharmacy, security and cleaning industry groups has relaunched the nation-wide ‘Be Kind in Retail’ campaign for the 2025 Christmas trading period, to combat the alarming levels of abuse, intimidation, violence – often with the use of dangerous weapons, towards retail workers, pharmacy staff, cleaners, security officers and shopping centre staff. With the central message “Kindness Never Goes Out of Style,” the campaign calls on the public to show respect to all workers in shopping centre and retail settings during the busy Christmas trading period and holiday season. Whether you’re shopping for groceries, grabbing lunch at the food court, buying a Christmas gift, filling up your car with fuel, or collecting a script at your local pharmacy, the message is clear, show respect and be kind to the people that are simply doing their job. The BKIR campaign aims to continue shifting…

Auror has announced the launch of Subject Recognition, a new retail security tool that gives stores the ability to responsibly integrate their own information about past serious offending with facial recognition technology (FRT). According to the company, the Subject Recognition module integrates with FRT providers, applying the end-to-end workflows, strict safeguards and important context to ensure that this technology is used in the right way, while improving retail security protecting the privacy of everyday shoppers. “We take our role in protecting information and building safeguards for retailers using this tech very seriously,” said Phil Thomson, Auror Co-Founder and CEO. “Subject Recognition cannot in any way be used for tracking, monitoring or profiling people. “Like all of our services, it prohibits retailers from entering sensitive information like ethnicity, race and religion, which is a key safeguard that reduces human bias, improves evidence-based decision-making and enhances privacy. “It’s designed to immediately discard…

Point of sale providers to stores that sell illegal tobacco have no excuses if they fail to identify which of their merchant clients are selling illicit goods closely linked to organised crime, experts and industry figures say. But despite claims from many banks and PSPs that they have zero tolerance for criminal activities by their clients, there are few signs that they are making any real efforts to check on their clients and help halt a trade linked to organised crime. Inconsistent approaches to the illegal tobacco trade and an industrywide push for online onboarding that has weakened Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, are also contributing to the lack of action by the sector. This has led industry figures to question the efficacy of the Federal government’s latest attempt at a coordinated multi-agency effort to halt a trade esteemed to be worth $10 billion, accounting for 64% of all tobacco…

The 2025 AACS International Study Tour took attendees across the USA – from New York to Des Moines and Chicago – for an unforgettable exploration of retail innovation, industry insights and global connection. The tour began in New York, where participants immersed themselves in the latest convenience and small-format retail experiences. Jason Zelinksi from NIQ updated the group on the US FMCG and Convenience latest trends, setting the context for the next week of retail visits. The group visited the latest formats at Wholefoods, including their new format Daily Shop offer, Wegmans, Trader Joes, a 7-Eleven Evolution format store, an AMPM Fuel format along with other innovative and boutique retail offerings. The group then headed to Des Moines in Iowa, in what is traditionally known as the flyover state given its location in the middle of the United States. In Des Moines, Tom Brennan, Chief Commercial Officer for Casey’s hosted…

The Australian Border Force (ABF) will lead a new multi-agency effort to combat the illicit tobacco market through the formation of the Illicit Tobacco National Disruption Group (ITNDG). The ITNDG is the first national taskforce of its kind, bringing together federal, state and territory agencies, including police, tax, health, financial and regulatory bodies, to share intelligence and coordinate joint enforcement action. The group will focus on mid-level criminals and enablers operating in the retail, logistics and property sectors, while the existing ABF-led Illicit Tobacco Taskforce will continue to target large-scale criminal syndicates involved in importing or manufacturing tobacco. Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), welcomed the announcement, but says the government needs to address the excessive tobacco tax hikes as a major contributor to the black market. “It’s time to stop talking around the issue and start fixing it and that means cutting tobacco excise…

New Sunrise hosted its 17th Annual Iceworks Conference in Dubai recently, bringing together more than 400 independent convenience retailers and suppliers from across Australia. Held for the first time in the Middle East, the event took place at the Marriott Palm Jumeirah under the theme “We’re not here to blend in, we’re here to stand out.” The conference featured business sessions at the Museum of the Future, supplier engagement meetings, and networking events showcasing innovation and collaboration across the network. Steve Cardinale, Managing Director of New Sunrise, said in a video message that product alone will not create trust and confidence, it’s the experience. “Over the past five years, we’ve built that experience through common goals, shared values, and clear promises. This is what makes us stand out.” Andrew Cardinale, Director, urged members to “think differently, act boldly, and lead with purpose,” highlighting the strength of the New Sunrise brand…