Australian Made has teamed up with local entrepreneur, model and mum, Elyse Knowles to urge shoppers to seek out genuine Australian products for the first ever Australian Made Week. The initiative aims to celebrate and support local makers and growers around the country.

According to Roy Morgan Research, if every household spent an additional $10 a week on Australian Made products, it would inject an extra $5 billion into the economy each year and create up to 11,000 new jobs.

Australian Made ambassador Elyse Knowles said she had enjoyed seeing the wide range of genuine Australian Made goods in the lead-up to the week and meeting fellow entrepreneurs passionate about encouraging people to make the switch to ‘Australian Made’.

Elyse and partner Josh Barker started an Australian building and construction business called J&E Projects in 2018. She said $10 was a small price to pay to help support local makers and growers.

“Working with our local communities, farmers and growers is something I am so passionate about. Shopping daily with local vendors for fresh produce and household supplies is such a simple task but the value it brings to the lives of our fellow Aussies is pretty incredible,” she said.

“Josh and I are constantly changing our building processes to ensure we incorporate as many Australian products as possible. The premium quality we come across day after day continues to amaze us. There are so many talented people in our country – to champion their skills, creativity, work ethic and products is a rewarding way to do business.

One on One – Ben Lazzaro - AMTIL

Australian Made CEO, Ben Lazzaro (pictured above) said Australian Made Week was a great time to focus on the benefits of buying local.

“When you buy Australian Made, not only are you getting products made to some of the highest standards in the world, you create jobs, now and into the future, and support thousands of Australians throughout the supply chain.”

Nine out of ten Australians believe we should be producing more products locally following the Covid-19 pandemic, Roy Morgan research has found. The same research says that 93% of Australians prefer to buy products made in Australia.

“In nearly every product category there is an Australian option from high-end health and beauty products to quality furniture and bedding, as well as safe children and baby care items, through to tough building and industrial materials. All of these and many more will take centre stage during Australian Made Week,” Lazzaro said.

Australian Made Week is being supported through a series of local events, TV, radio, out-of-home, print, online and social media ad placements.

Ecommerce marketplace supports local business doing it tough

According to founder of ecommerce marketplace Spend With Us, Sarah Britz, there has been an enormous push and commitment from consumers wanting to support local businesses, businesses doing it tough, and businesses selling Australian made products, alongside the trend toward more online shopping.

“Australians have become more mindful about where they spend money and are more likely to research brands and products before purchasing,” she told Retailbiz.

“The Spend With Us – Buy From a Bush Business platform has seen an incredible response from consumers who want to spend their money with small businesses where it makes a difference. 

They know that their purchases are going directly to the small business owners and contributing back into the local economy, especially in areas impacted by loss of tourism, fires, drought and flooding.

“Not only have we opened up an entirely new channel for these businesses, but we have also created a community and marketplace that connects Australians that would like to support rural and regional Australia with the means and ability to do that directly.

“As Australia’s borders continue to stay closed, more consumers are seeking out Australian owned businesses to spend their money with. They want to play their part to ensure that local businesses can survive and thrive through the lack of domestic and international tourism,” she said.

The Spend With Us ecommerce marketplace was created during the 2019/2020 bushfires to assist bushfire affected small businesses to continue to trade and get their products online for free while providing consumers with a central place to search, find, and support businesses in need.

When Covid-19 hit, Spend With Us opened its platform to support all rural and regional small businesses that were experiencing trauma and income loss and finding it difficult to survive financially by not being able to sell their products in stores or at markets physically.

Commbank survey finds Aussie shoppers prefer Aussie made

More than half of Australian shoppers want to buy locally sourced and produced products, according to new research from Commonwealth Bank.

The inaugural CommBank Consumer Insights Report offers an analysis of the Australian consumer focused on the impact of Covid-19 on lifestyle and behaviours. 

The research shows more Australians are choosing to shop locally, supporting local online retailers and manufacturers as well as suburban shopping centres and neighbourhood stores.This is across a variety of categories including recreational goods (59%), fashion (58%), electronics (55%), and groceries (53%).

Additionally, almost two thirds (61%) of consumers are praising local businesses for their adaptability to the disruption caused by the pandemic.