Wesfarmers CEO Robb Scott has told shareholders that its retail businesses are well positioned to recover, with strong sales “demonstrating a level of pent-up customer demand.”
Bunnings, Officeworks, and Catch have seen the biggest growth in areas where they have been able to reopen, with Kmart and Target expected to pick up in the lead up to Christmas.
Scott praises staff for the quick pivot to online sales during the pandemic.
Rob Scott, Wesfarmers.
“It is pleasing to see that the investment and focus directed to these capabilities over recent years has enabled our businesses to continue to serve customers, even during periods of significant disruption,” Scott says.
“For example, on a year-to-date basis, over half of Officeworks’ sales have been online, and Kmart and Bunnings had online penetration of 21 and six per cent respectively.”
He added that its retail businesses are “well positioned” with stock for the Christmas trading period, despite global supply chain issues.
