They say women are better shoppers than men but according to the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) the winter sales are indicating otherwise.

ANRA CEO Margy Osmond said men are leading the charge back to in-store shopping, with retailers expecting to see menswear fly off the shelves at a rate not seen in some years.

“The winter sales period has developed as large a profile as Boxing Day and retailers anticipate business shirts and menswear sales to be almost as high as they are through that period.

“Retailers are telling us that blokes are returning to shopping, perhaps because they feel more confident about the economic outlook than women do, or they are running out of suits after a few years of thrift and need to update their wardrobes.”

Margy also said men were returning to shopping, along with Gen Y who have a knack for sniffing out a bargain.

“Our young shoppers are back and they are always a force to be reckoned with come sales time. The younger generations are often still living at home, not facing rising utility bills or mortgage payments and while the global economy is background noise, they still have a safe environment for spending. We expect to see them back in store as the sale signs go up again,” she said.