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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW REFLECTIONS ON BIG CHANGES IN SHOPPER BEHAVIOUR Metcash Group CEO Jeff Adams spoke to Retail World’s Lorna Gloria about the challenges and opportunities presented by the bushfire and pandemic crises. What has been your greatest lesson to date, navigating through this pandemic? During this crisis, it really has highlighted the important role that independent retailers play in their local community. We’re talking a lot about COVID-19, but go back to the bushfires, which most people had forgotten about. We have a big representation in the regional and remote areas, and in a lot of cases either Mitre 10 or IGA is the only store in town. So, if supply got cut off to those stores, that would have a big impact on the overall community. Crises always bring about better collaboration. These have highlighted how much we can get done with our retailers in a crisis situation when we collaborate. We implemented a digital platform within a few weeks, which shows that if you collaborate you can absolutely move with speed. The crisis has really been a sort of a catalyst to have customers come back to IGA or Mitre 10 and check out what we’ve been doing. We’ve had some very positive comments about the stores that have been refreshed. With all the challenges you’ve faced, what has been the response you’re proudest of? I sit through most of the crisis calls that take place between the different businesses in the group. And I have to say I’ve heard of some unbelievable efforts from our team in the way that they’ve responded – whether it was a community that was cut off and we’ve got a hold of the military and helicopter service – just unbelievable efforts from the team to support those retailers. When we released our results, the proudest I’ve been is of the efforts from the team in the way they’ve responded to support the retailers, who then do what they do so well in supporting their communities. “There’s no doubt – and we’ve certainly been the beneficiary – that people have switched to shopping more locally to avoid going to busy, crowded, mall- based shops.” 18 RETAIL WORLD AUG, 2020