Bold new plan will ditch ICE and increase prices but Volvo is confident it’ll boost sales and even steal customers from Tesla Volvo has announced it is only going to sell fully electric vehicles in Australia by 2026. Snapshot Volvo Australia to be EV-only by 2026. Combustion and hybrid models to be phased out New plan puts Australia four years ahead of Volvo’s global strategy Volvo admits it will lose sales initially but hopes to grow to 20,000 units by 2026 Five new electric Volvos coming in the next five years spanning SUVs and a large sedan/wagon The bold commitment means Volvo will not launch another car Down Under powered by petrol or diesel, with mild-hybrids and plug-in hybrids also set to be phased out under the new plan. Instead, every new Volvo sold by 2026 will be powered purely by electricity, with the Swedish brand planning to launch five new electric models…

The ACCC is urging all small businesses to protect their information when using digital and online tools. Scams affecting small business Between January-September this year, Scamwatch received more than 1,440 reports from small businesses about scams, with $6.6 million lost.  False billing and phishing scams were the most commonly reported scams. Recent data breaches Scamwatch has seen new scams quickly emerge following the Optus data breach. As a small business, it’s important that you take extra care with customer accounts to protect your data and your money falling into the hands of scammers. It’s equally important for you to monitor your platforms and services for scams or suspicious activity. Five simple steps to avoid scams Inform and educate your staff members about scams (such as by forwarding this email and subscribing to Scamwatch email alerts and following @Scamwatch_gov on Twitter). Have clear processes in place for verifying and paying accounts, and make sure all staff know about them. Ensure…

Experts say the future of the food store is a community hub, focused on local products and socializing. ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Grocery stores are including more dedicated spaces for customers to gather and socialize, reports Modern Retail. These spots, also known as “third spaces,” are ways for grocers to earn more revenue and entice shoppers to enter their stores and stay awhile. Many convenience retailers also have incorporated indoor or outdoor spaces for community gatherings, from Friday night high school hangouts to Sunday morning gospel sings. Third spaces were beginning to gain footing until the pandemic hit, and grocers and convenience retailers moved their focus away from these areas to establish social distancing measures. But these spaces are making their way into food stores once again. According to Barry Thomas, senior thought leader at Kantar, these gathering spots are a way for grocery stores to show that they are part of the community and…

NEW YORK — Convenience will be at the forefront of consumers’ minds in 2023, according to the Specialty Food Association’s (SFA) Trendspotter Panel. The panel, comprised of culinary professionals from diverse industry segments, researches numerous specialty food items and companies to predict key emerging trends for the upcoming year. “Specialty food consumers are looking to make their meal prep easy but exciting and that is driving many of this year’s trends regarding convenience, packaging improvements, and global flavors,” said Denise Purcell, vice president of resource development at the SFA. “At the same time, they continue to care about how their food is grown and the health benefits it offers, giving rise to evolving sustainability, plant-based, and better-for-you trends.” As consumers have begun to increasingly cook at home during the pandemic, the panel predicts brands will focus on providing tools and recipes for at-home chefs looking to make simple meals that…

Retailers investing in checkout improvements and more, but not keeping up with other channels NEW YORK — The convenience industry is adopting many new strategies to stay relevant. These include reallocating store space, ramping up fresh offerings, embracing flexible, speedy checkout and further investing in their advantage—catering to their local communities. Incisiv, an industry insights firm, and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, which specializes in retail store technology, detailed their findings in the report State of the Industry: The Future of Convenience Stores. But the speed of change remains a problem for most chains, with 74% of retailer respondents dissatisfied with their ability to experiment quickly. In addition, convenience has lagged compared to other segments technologically as it has not moved as fast toward unifying experiences across digital and in-store channels. This will need to be prioritized to compete for shopper’s wallet share, according to the study. “There is a significant opportunity for the convenience…