Another retailer association to go national

The Queensland Retail Traders & Shopkeepers Association has established offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth and is relaunching as a national association representing the retail industry.

To be promoted under the brand the Qrtsa, the association plans to use its industrial relations services as the platform for national expansion.

The Qrtsa is the second organisation claiming national coverage for the retail industry to emerge from Queensland. The other Queensland-based organisation is the National Retail Association.

Scott Driscoll, Qrtsa executive director, said the national expansion had been part of his vision when he took up his position.

“I am committed to driving our organisation nationally and establishing the Qrtsa as the senior industry representative body of the retail sector in Australia and the peak industry voice of retailers to government,” he said.

The Qrtsa is entering a crowded market. The retail industry is already nationally represented by:

• ARA – Australian Retailers Association.
• ANRA – Australian National Retailers Association.
• NRA – National Retailers Association.
• NARGA – National Association of Retail Grocers of Australia.
• NIRA – National Independent Retailers Association.
• MGA – Master Grocers Australia.
• FCA – Franchise Council of Australia.

With so many groups claiming to represent retailers, can any be considered to represent more than a segment of the industry?

With Inside Retailing