Industry News

Phillip Hudson August 01, 2012 Herald Sun A GYM has become the first business to be penalised for wrongly blaming the carbon tax for price rises. The Genesis Fitness Club in Berwick, 45km southeast of Melbourne, has been issued with a $6600 infringement notice on the one-month anniversary of the introduction of the carbon tax. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said the gym sent a letter to 2122 members in April promoting a “rate freeze” to beat the carbon tax. It claimed a lengthy contract extension would save between 9 and 15 per cent. “The ACCC believes that GFC Berwick did not have a reasonable basis for claiming the carbon price would increase the cost of gym memberships by 9-15 per cent,” Mr Sims said. “We understand that over 200 members took up the offer and extended their contract. We are concerned that the false claims about…

Michael Baker August 1, 2012 The Age Some retailers resonate so well with multiple generations of shoppers that they can appeal to grandmas and at the same time have musicals made in the their honour by high school performing arts groups. Other retailers can be successful with one generation but connect so poorly with the next that they are sliding into irrelevance. What’s the secret to being in the first group and not the second? The fate of all retailers ultimately hangs on the answer, including Australia’s department stores, discount department stores and scores of brands that were important to Gen X and baby boomers. One of the commonalities that consumer experts believe they know about Millenials is that they are readier than any prior consumer group to reward and reject companies on the basis of their social and environmental values. And you can’t just cook up a corporate marketing…

Wes Hosking Herald Sun August 02, 2012 SUPERMARKET rush hour starts at 5pm, when up to nine times more shoppers cram stores than earlier in the day. New data also shows the best day to avoid the hordes is Tuesday. The Woolworths figures show the peak shopping periods statewide – plus the little-known times when customers can shop in peace. Saturday is the busiest day, especially between 5pm and 6pm when there are nine times more customers than before 9am. Between noon and 2pm is the other daily peak. The trend is similar on weekdays but customer traffic is far lower. The rush lasts until 7pm as customers hit stores after school and work. Woolworths spokesman Benedict Brook said many people wrongly thought mid-afternoons were the best time to go shopping. “Although it is quieter you are probably better to go early to mid-morning or later at night – you…

Blair Speedy August 02, 2012 The Australian THE competition watchdog is working with supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths on a streamlined approval process that could make it easier for them to buy independent supermarkets and liquor stores. Speaking at the NAB National Small Business Summit in Melbourne yesterday, Australian Competition & Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said he was hoping the supermarkets would agree to a system that would require them to give more information upfront rather than respond to the commission’s inquiries. “We’re also looking at mergers and acquisitions that have been undertaken by the supermarkets — if you look at our mergers register you’ll notice several small acquisitions that involve the liquor, grocery and home improvement sectors,” he said. The ACCC in June said it would oppose a deal under which Woolworths’ majority-owned pubs business, ALH, would buy 31 hotels — six months after the acquisition was first…

Elly Taylor August 2, 2012 The Age Professional counsellor and author Elly Taylor reveals the secrets to dealing with each kind. 1. The bully with low self-esteem Bullies suffer from low self-esteem. They prop up a fragile self image by putting others down to look good by comparison. When the bully is also a boss, they have power to play with. Power and low self esteem can be a dangerous combination. Bullies will probably use the same tactics on others that was used on them to create their low self-esteem in the first place. Self-esteem is a fluid thing, so it’s something that can be worked on. The first step to combat bullying is to recognise what’s going on. The second is to confront it, with the boss first, and then if it doesn’t cease, to let them know you are willing to go above. Most bullies, especially the passive/aggressive…