The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) and the National Retail Association (NRA) are joining forces to create one peak body.
To better serve the $420 billion industry, the two not-for-profit organisations’ collaboration will be for the greater good of the industry, they claim.
ARA president Nicole Sheffield says a unified sector is a winning proposition for retail and the broader economy.
“It makes absolute sense to create one voice for retail and to combine our strengths to support the growth of this vital sector which employs one in 10 Australians,” she explains.
“Whilst the resilience of retailers has been second to none in recent years, the headwinds we face as a sector have never been more challenging—from supply chain challenges and retail crime to sustainability outcomes and the rise of artificial intelligence. Joining forces for the good of our industry is an obvious win for all parties.”
NRA chair Tim Schaafsma adds that the combined strengths of the two organisations will elevate the impact of the sector to the benefit of all Australians.
“Retail contributes enormously to our country’s economic success and social wellbeing and a strong retail sector is in the interests of all Australians,” he says.
“Our two organisations are aligned in our focus and we come together in the spirit of doing what’s in the best interests of our retail community. In the meantime, we look forward to working together on a range of collaborative ventures in the coming months as we take active steps towards the proposed amalgamation.”
While finalising the details of their merger, both organisations will work together on issues such as retail trading hours and crime.
In an industry first, the NRA and ARA will jointly host the Retail Crime Symposium on 18 July 2024 in Melbourne, featuring speakers in law enforcement, loss prevention, security, work health and safety and cybercrime.
It comes as retail crime remains widespread across the country, with both theft and customer abuse heavily impacting frontline staff and creating an estimated $9 billion bottom line impact for retailers each year.
ARA CEO Paul Zahra says the continued prevalence of retail crime demands a united front from authorities and industry.
“The Retail Crime Symposium is about bringing together Australia’s retailers, police and politicians to work together, identify trends and devise strategies to reduce retail crime,” he adds.
“Joining forces with the NRA allows us to both pool our resources and expertise to tackle the scourge of retail crime more effectively.”
