1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: Retail turnaround. That looks like a thing. December quarter, we 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: spent more sales up zero point nine on the quarter, 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: four point four. That's material for a year ago. Twelve 4 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: of the fifteen groups did well. Chris Wilkinson, First Retail 5 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Group MDS back with us, Chris, morning to you. And 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: this is and here's the good news about this. This 7 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: is some of it at least is discretionary, isn't it. 8 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: And that's a that's a good thing. 9 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: That's the big news. Mic. This is stuff that is 10 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 2: driven by people feeling better about themselves and better about 11 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 2: the economy. 12 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: Is there more where this came from? 13 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 2: Do you think, Look, if we can sustain this good 14 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 2: feeling that's out there at the moment, yes, potential of 15 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,599 Speaker 2: interest rate rises and things like that could have some impact. 16 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: But we're on a bit of a roll at the moment, 17 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:47,639 Speaker 2: so let's hope it continues. 18 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: See this happened, to be clear to everyone, this is 19 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: the December quarter, so October November, December, we were busy 20 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 1: telling everybody how miserable it was. We're all in a 21 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: fark blah blah blah, and yet in reality we were 22 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: doing something different. There's a disconnect between theory and reality, 23 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: isn't there. 24 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's very very true. I mean this is all 25 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 2: retail spending, Mic, this is bending offshore as well. So 26 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: you know what we're seeing in in a grainular sense 27 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 2: in some of the towns and cities. Yes, it's it's 28 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 2: a bit different, but overall and the big news is, 29 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 2: you know what, four point four percent people are taking 30 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 2: home that much more product and that's much more. 31 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: What I also like is, I mean we've lived leant 32 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: on the farmers so much, but this this seems to 33 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: be right across the country and pretty much across most 34 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: sectors and groups. 35 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: Good point. Provincial New Zealand doing particularly strongly. And if 36 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: we look at the sales are up two point three 37 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 2: percent in the South Island Heartland New Zealand, while sales 38 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 2: in the North Island increased by one point five percent. 39 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: So really the strength of some of these provincial economies, 40 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: rural big projects, driving a lot of confidence. 41 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: Good stuff. Chris, nice to catch up, preciate Chris Wilkinson, 42 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: First Retail This Morning. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, 43 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: listen live to new Talk Set B from six am weekdays, 44 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.