New research highlights the extent of support Australian consumers give for Australian-made product, with the inaugural CommBank Consumer Insights Report revealing that more than 50 per cent of Australian shoppers want to buy locally sourced and produced products.
More Australians are choosing to shop locally, support local online retailers and manufacturers as well as suburban shopping centres and neighbourhood stores across a variety of categories including recreational goods (59 per cent), fashion (58 per cent), electronics (55 per cent), and groceries (53 per cent). In addition, 61 per cent of consumers surveyed spoke of their admiration for the adaptabililty shown by their local businesses in the face of the disruption caused by the pandemic.
“It’s great to see consumers supporting local Australian businesses,” Commonwealth Bank’s Executive Manager of Consumer and Diversified Industries, Jerry Macey, said. “We’ve seen Aussie businesses adapting to consumers’ changing needs and their customers have noticed.
“There is goodwill among customers and an overall perception that the retail experience has improved across online, in-store and delivery services,” Macey added. “It’s a credit to these businesses that they’ve been able to adapt and thrive during such a challenging period.”
The report noted that one in four consumers have increased online purchases in the wake of the pandemic. This trend looks set to continue, with nearly 49 per cent of consumers shopping more with domestic online retailers in 2020, and 52 per cent saying they will continue to do so this year. In contrast, consumers who made purchases from online retailers based offshore indicate their number of purchases moving forward will taper or revert to pre-pandemic levels.
“We saw a seismic shift in how people spent their time and this has led them to think about what is most important to them,” Macey said. “Consumers adopted a more local focus, and whether that’s on Australian made products, or shopping in their local area, we expect this to remain a priority.”
