There are many ways to sabotage Christmas in retail. Jack prices, kill stock availability, annoy staff, or forget that Christmas is - fundamentally - a theatre-led, emotion-heavy, ritualised moment in the retail calendar. But this year, David Jones managed to find a new one. By quietly removing one of the most recognisable pieces of its brand DNA.

Australians may be losing interest in the Melbourne Cup, but they’re still opening their wallets. New analysis from Retail Customer Advisory (RCA) projects that total national consumer expenditure tied to the 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival will exceed A$1.05 billion - representing nominal growth of around 5 percent year-on-year. However, after adjusting for inflation and cost pressures, RCA’s modelling shows real growth closer to 1 percent, suggesting Australians are spending more dollars but not necessarily buying or doing more.

Halloween is fast approaching, and Australian households are expected to spend more than $525 million celebrating. New retail insights reveal Australians are taking a more mindful approach to seasonal shopping, with creativity, personalisation and value topping the list of consumer priorities (image source: James Brickwood SMH).