Fishing sales at Australia’s top retailer hit by ban

Environmental factors – including a recreational fishing ban in South Australia – heavily impacted the performance of the fishing and marine categories at the country’s major retailer.

BCF – part of the Super Retail Group – saw its like-for-like sales in the first half of the year drop by 1.6% compared to the previous comparable period with revenue of $520m delivering $39m in profit before tax.

Group Managing Director and CEO, Paul Bradshaw, told investors: “BCF did not match the strong level of sales from the previous year. The fishing and marine sectors were heavily impacted in the period by macro weather/environmental factors in Victoria and South Australia.”

The group reported revenue of $2,195m for the six months and profit before tax of between $172m to $175m. It will report its final first half figures on February 26.

“Super Retail Group has delivered another record first half sales result,” said Bradshaw. “The group traded well, albeit with an elevated level of promotional intensity, impacting realised gross margins.”