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From popping in to say hello (51 per cent) to knowing the name of their local business owner (25 per cent), more than 41 per cent of respondents have made the effort to spend time with and support their local, as they feel they make a positive difference to the community. As Australians adjust to a new way of life, 67 per cent of respondents have pledged to continue showing their support to local businesses with 91 per cent claiming they are now spending up to $200 per week on their local high street. Backing up this research is the inaugural ‘Cashrewards Shopping for Good’ survey. Published by Australian cashback platform Cashrewards in December, the survey reveals a “spike” in ethically and Australian-owned shopping motivations in the wake of the “horror” bushfire season and Covid-19 last year. Findings from the survey of 1300 consumers show the events of 2020 have “awakened” our national conscience with the number of Australians willing to favour ‘good’ brands growing significantly. Over half of Australians surveyed say this period has made them “more likely” to purchase from companies that give back to their community, and almost one in three now name ethical concerns as amongst their top purchase considerations. Two thirds of surveyed Australians now name Australian made as one of their top reasons for choosing a brand, with a quarter going further to favour goods made in their state or local region. Over half of respondents say the most important reason for buying Australian/local is to support other Australians, economically. A spokesperson for ALDI tells Convenience World that there has been a “noticeable demand” for quality Australian products that can be enjoyed at home, such as coffee. “During the months of February through to May, our Lazzio Coffee range, produced by Melbourne-based company Black Bag Roasters, experienced a 50 per cent increase in sales as a result of Australia’s appetite for a café-quality coffee experience,” they said. The retailer also notes that while Australia was busy stocking up on pasta and toilet paper during the peak of Covid-19, fresh salads and produce were quickly forgone as many hospitality businesses had to close. ALDI’s Lazzio Coffee range, produced by Melbourne-based company Black Bag Roasters, experienced a 50 per cent increase in sales between February and May 2020. Coles teamed up with Hop Nation during the peak of Covid-19 to offer Communitinnies. “Our business partner Hussey & Co, who supply a range of spinach, rocket and salad mixes to ALDI, lost around 50 per cent of total production during the sales drop,” ALDI said. “In a bid to support Australian growers, we introduced a temporary product offer across our bagged salad range, which resulted in a 10 per cent increase in volume sales on the previous year.” In a similar manner, Coles customers have been “increasingly” looking for ways to support Australian growers and producers, according to the retailer. “In 2020, Coles Group and its suppliers inspired customers by introducing more than 1600 new products to our supermarkets, liquor and Express stores with a growing focus on health, convenience, sustainability and local,” a Coles spokesperson said. “For example, our liquor team extended support to local producers who had been affected by Covid-19 by partnering with Melbourne-based Hop Nation to offer Communitinnies, a 24- pack featuring craft beer from some of Australia’s best independent brewers.” Foodland CEO Franklin dos Santos says there has always been a strong support of local products but acknowledges that Foodland has seen this grow more so in light of Covid-19. “From looking at our own customer and purchasing data, we can see a positive shift in sales for SA brands, which is great to see and something that, as the Mighty South Aussies, we are absolutely championing,” he said. Ritchies CEO Fred Harrison says Covid-19 has had an “enormous impact” on the popularity of local products. “We are seeing local products explode from our shelves,” he said. “At different stages throughout the pandemic, many of our traditional warehouse lines became unavailable. This is where our direct network stood up and assisted greatly. We were able to range many local products and this helped us out in a crisis. “Best of all, the majority of these lines have remained as part of our standard range within our stores and are continuing to sell well. Sometimes it takes a crisis to create opportunity and we found many local suppliers were in a position to assist. We were conscious of the need to continue our support them for the longer term and not just use them in our hour of need. Sales have justified our continued support of most of the new products we introduced. Local wines and beers have also been extremely popular and create a new opportunity.” As a supplier, Robern Menz shares similar sentiments. “In times of uncertainty, people have been sticking to brands they know and love,” Robern Menz Marketing Manager Polly Love said. “Throughout \[2020\], we \[saw\] excitement and strong sales in our new ranges, including the Dark Choc and Caramel coated Violet Crumble bags and Violet Crumble Flavoured Milk, which indicates that Aussies are willing to try something new if it’s from a brand they trust.” CTC Australia, however, hasn’t seen “much change in product performance in relation to the country of origin”, says Marketing Manager & Designer Bernard Fauvette. “However, we are receiving a larger number of enquiries from consumers asking about products origins,” he said. “As a company, we find it crucial to educate consumers to understand why certain products are sourced from countries, so they can make an informed choice.” AUSTRALIAN MADE JAN/FEB, 2021 CONVENIENCE WORLD 31