Reuters reported that German-owned discount supermarket Aldi is rolling out scores of new products in the US, in an aggressive push to expand in the country even as rivals are struggling in a drawn-out price war. Traditional grocers such as Walmart and Target have been slashing prices to win back the shoppers they've lost to Amazon.com and other online retailers. Surging commodities and transportation costs are also forcing companies that supply retailers with packaged goods to raise prices. Aldi, whose products are 90% private label, is far less exposed to these rising costs, which enables the grocer to pursue a plan to expand its US chain from 1,600 stores in mid-2007 to 2,500 by the end of 2022.

Australia isn't the only country navigating the anti-plastic movement. The Hustle reported that the US's only paper straw manufacturer, Aardvark, just got acquired by a larger holding. Within the last year, cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Fort Myers, Florida, and Vancouver (in Canada), have all ended the use of plastic straws. And, beyond cities, companies including Starbucks, American Airlines, Disney, and others have also announced their breakup from plastic straws. So, it goes without saying that Aardvark is struggling to keep up with demand. From a commercial perspective, forget Silicon Valley. Since being founded in 2007, the company has achieved double year-over-year growth.

The Hustle reported that Ford has ordered 75 strength-enhancing mechanical exoskeletons from Ekso Bionics after a successful pilot. Ford tested the suits not to increase the lifting capacity of its employees, but rather to help prevent injuries. The results: after a yearlong trial, the Ekso suits helped reduce workplace injuries by 83%. Ekso has at least 35 competitors in the exo-suit industry, but for now, the company has the edge with both Ford's patronage and a 28% spike in its share price.    

The AFR reported that the share of household expenditure on clothing and footwear has more than halved since 1984, from 6.5% to 3.1%. This data dispels the myth that specialty retailers' woes have been caused by the emergence of e-commerce. Online retail handles just 8% of sales, translating to just 0.2% of the decline. The remaining 3.2% drop has been caused by changing spending patterns.

Reuters reported that Mattress Firm Inc, the largest mattress retailer in the US, is considering a potential bankruptcy as it seeks ways to get out of store leases and shut poor performers from its 3,000 locations. Mattress Firm’s deliberations offer the latest example of a US brick-and-mortar retailer struggling financially. Reuters think that the situation is due to competition from e-commerce firms such as Amazon, but we have a suspicion that it's more likely the consequence of the continuing escalation of lease costs. Interestingly, Mattress Firm is owned by Steinhoff International, which paid US$3.8 billion to acquire the business in 2016. When it rains, it pours.

The Economist reported on the rising popularity of point-of-sale lending in the US, noting that many retailers are now offering their customers the option to pay for goods over six to 12 months interest-free. Consumers who might have financed big-ticket purchases with a credit card are increasingly utilising these "point-of-sale" loans instead. The article noted that over-the-counter lending is being led by innovative tech startups. Interestingly, Australia seems to be well ahead of the US in this space, with AfterPay and ZipPay now processing a material percentage of all retail spend Down Under. Retail Directions' point-of-sale enables our clients to offer both payment options to their customers.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Amazon's flat entry into the Australian market. Documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission show Amazon Australia ran at an $8.9 million loss with just $16 million in sales for the 2017 calendar year. Not quite the retail apocalypse prophesised by much of the media in anticipation of tech giant's arrival Down Under, speculation which put local retailers on edge and played havoc with their share prices. We've always said that stores are Aussie retails' best defense against the online raider, while directly competing with Amazon online is a sure way to put your business under pressure.