Rania Spooner September 20, 2012 The Age While the big supermarkets are caught in their own price wars, a group of independent grocery stores in Western Australia’s Midwest region claim to have shaved about $40,000 – or 10 per cent off their – annual energy costs with basic incentives. The first of the changes cost them nothing to implement and has dramatically reduced their carbon footprint overnight, driving overhead savings they’ve been able to pass on to their customers, according to Queens SUPA IGA manager Stuart Bain. With the introduction of a price on carbon looming about a year ago, Mr Bain and the managers of Rigters SUPA IGA and Wonthella SUPA IGA, got together with their semi-retired owner and set themselves a challenge. “We were just talking because the power bills kept going up and up and we wanted to see what we could focus on,” Mr Bain said.…

Nicole Cox September 20, 2012 PerthNow EIGHTEEN Pilbara towns, including the mining meccas of Karratha and Port Hedland, will be hit by tough new take-away booze restrictions. Director of Liquor Licensing Barry Sargeant has ruled to limit the sale of certain alcoholic beverages and the hours that liquor stores can open. Under the new rules, which will come into effect on October 8, liquor stores will have restricted sale times from 11am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and will be closed on Sundays. However, alcohol will still be sold over-the-counter at hotels, taverns and clubs and adjoining bottle shops on Sundays. While drink restrictions vary slightly from town to town, most are banned from selling beer in glass bottles of 750ml or more and limits apply to the sale of wine in containers greater than two litres or fortified wines in vessels greater than one litre. Today, the Department of…

Andy Burns September 21, 2012 Herald Sun JAPANESE super store Uniqlo has confirmed that it will set up a Melbourne base this December. The fast fashion label is the latest in a string of international retailers to arrive on Australia’s shores. Uniqlo spokesperson Aldo Liguori said the business made the announcement as they are getting ready to recruit Melbournians to the brand. “The reason for us to announce our plans to open an office in Melbourne is to be able to start recruiting staff,” he said. Although Liguori couldn’t say how many jobs the new venture might create in Victoria, the Fast Retailing company – which owns Uniqlo – is a billion dollar worldwide operation. “We expect to open one store in Australia during the fiscal year 2013, we believe there is strong potential for the Uniqlo brand among consumers in Australia,” he said. The Uniqlo sales and marketing office…