UK retailer Mothercare, which caters to pregnant women, parents, babies and children up to eight years old, has opened its first store in Australia.
With already over 1,000 stores in 50 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Mothercare has now expanded into Australia with a store at Chadstone, melbourne and another store opening in April in Doncaster, Victoria.
According to IBISWorld, revenue this financial year for the baby products sector is estimated to grow by 3.2 per cent to $3.9 billion.
IBISWorld general manager (Australia) Robert Bryant said between 60 and 70 per cent of baby merchandise revenue is derived from independent retailers, with the rest generated by department stores, and demand is driven by the share of purchases allocated to each specific age group.
Newborns and babies under the age of one account for around 35 per cent of the market, toddlers between one and two represent 43 per cent, while sales for three to four-year-olds comprise 22 per cent.
“Nappies dominate purchases for babies under two, while clothing and toys account for the greatest proportion of revenue for those between two and four years of age,” Bryant said.
The secret to Mothercare’s success is that it tailors its products to local markets. The company has appointed retail consultants Push Retail to adapt the Mothercare concept for its Australian roll-out.
Mothercare opened its first store in 1961 in Surrey, the UK. Initially the business focused on pushchairs, nursery furniture and maternity clothing, but it now offers a wide range of maternity and children's clothing, furniture and home furnishings, bedding, feeding, bathing, travel equipment and toys.