Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has welcomed the Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services’ report on the inquiry into the Franchising Code of Conduct tabled in parliament yesterday. Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, Bernard Ripoll, flagged two major changes to the Code. “To assist the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in its enforcement role, the committee recommends the introduction... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said new research released today in the ARA Retail Christmas Expectations Survey showed retailers are cautiously optimistic about trading during the holiday season, with 43% expecting sales to be the same or better than last year’s record trade. ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said the ARA Retail Christmas Expectations Survey indicated over 59 per cent of those retailers who were optimistic about the 2008 Christmas trading... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has advised that new research, which suggests employee theft costs Australian retailers almost $3 billion per year, shows the traditional approach of protecting assets from external shoplifters only gets half the job done.ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said internal theft contributing to over half of the $5.8 billion (or two percent of turnover) expected to be written off as retail shrinkage this year could be minimised with... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), in its final opportunity to present to the full bench of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC), today submitted a costings analysis of the draft modern retail award, indicating an average 14 per cent wage bill increase for retailers across Australia.ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said this is an unnecessary financial imposition on retailers who are already struggling with the tightening economic environment.... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has applauded the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) decision to further cut the cash rate by .75 percentage points today. The news of a rate cut is further positive news for the food retail sector, following the release of trend figures for September showing food retailing up 0.6 per cent. Cafes and restaurants, among the hardest hit by the downturn, made a slight comeback - with trend figures climbing 0.2 per cent. ARA Executive... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) left optimistic the Rudd Government is providing the leadership needed to respond to the global financial crisis following the Small Business Summit on Friday, but added that more could be done to help small business. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Small Business Minister Dr Craig Emerson announced a number of new measures on Friday including: 1. Small Business Support and Advice during the financial crisis from Business Enterprise... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) yesterday called on retailers to get involved with environmental debates, including the proposed emissions trading scheme and plastic bag bans. Speaking to an auditorium of over 300 at the Future’s So Bright Green conference, ARA Executive Director Richard Evans encouraged retailers to embrace the opportunity in the challenge to ‘go green’ by engaging with governments. “Whether you agree with the science... ...Read more »

Inflation data for the year to September was released by the ABS today, with the 5% increase the greatest since 1995 (excluding the period when the GST was introduced). The inflation rate is now well above the 2-3% target range of the RBA but is not expected to stop the central bank cutting interest rates at their next meeting in November. Food inflation for the September quarter was at 1.4%, bringing the yearly rate up to 3.4% - well below the figure seen earlier this year when commodity... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has today criticised the Queensland Prevention Alliance’s call for a total ban of food and drink advertising directed at children. The Queensland Prevention Alliance, which includes the AMA (Australian Medical Association) Queensland, Cancer Council Queensland, Diabetes Australia – Queensland and the Heart Foundation, is set to campaign heavily to ban junk food advertising to children over the next few months. ARA... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has urged state and federal governments to restrict the introduction of new legislation that could burden retailers with added compliance costs during this period of economic concern.ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said during one of the hardest economic times for retailers, decision makers are continuing to push through legislation across the country - including unit pricing, plastic bag bans, emissions trading schemes, parental... ...Read more »