Super Retail Group, parent to Rebel and Supercheap Auto, has posted record first-half sales, as shopping trends shift back to outdoor pursuits.

Super Retail operates 716 stores across Australia and New Zealand, with the Supercheap Auto, Rebel, BCF, and Macpac brands.

Group sales were up 15 per cent year-on-year, to a first-half record of $1.96 billion. Profits after tax jumped 30 per cent, to $144 million. A fully franked interim dividend of 34 cents per share was declared, up 26 per cent from last year.

The record sales were driven by a strong Black Friday and Christmas, according to the company’s financials, as well as cycling a COVID-restricted period.

Profits at Supercheap Auto were up 42 per cent, to $108 million. Rebel lifted 23 per cent to $84, boasting its highest-ever December sales.

BCF was down 1 per cent, due to the wet weather, to $31 million, while Macpac is up 55 per cent, to $16 million.

Organised sports are back, and sales of wet weather gear were particularly strong.

The company saw total online sales reach $236 million, representing 12 per cent of group sales. 49 per cent of this were ‘Click and Collect’ orders, signalling a blend of digital and brick-and-mortar.

For the first five weeks of the June half, Supercheap Auto saw sales growth of 8 per cent, Rebel saw 13 per cent, BCF was up by 3 per cent, while Macpac climbed 30 per cent.

“We are seeing a mix change from wants to needs,” CEO Anthony Heraghty said. While this is good for his DIY Auto chain and MacPac’s wet weather gear, it also means dwell time in stores, and therefore discretionary spending, is down.

“It plays both sides of the cycle,” he admitted.