The Australian Retail Council has officially launched as a new national peak body for the retail sector, following the unification of the Australian Retailers Association and the National Retail Association.
The formation of ARC aims to provide a single, unified voice for retailers of all sizes, strengthening engagement with government, industry partners and stakeholders on the policy and economic issues shaping the sector.
Retail employs more than 1.4 million Australians and plays a significant role in communities across the country. ARC said its creation will help ensure the sector is better understood, properly valued and more effectively represented.
A unified voice for retail
ARC’s brand strategy, platform and visual identity were developed in partnership with FABRIC, drawing on the agency’s experience in the retail sector.
Top Image: FABRIC
The identity is designed to work across multiple stakeholder groups, including retailers, government and industry partners, building clarity and consistency at a time when the sector faces shared and complex challenges.
Gemma Rees, Managing Partner at FABRIC, said the project was about establishing leadership rather than simply refreshing a brand.
“Retail has always been a sector we care deeply about because it’s where the economy meets everyday life. This wasn’t about ‘rebranding’ retail, it was about building a new national voice with the clarity and confidence to lead from day one. ARC now has a platform that speaks in retail’s language: constructive, practical, and built for impact, anchored in a simple truth: retail makes life happen,” Rees said.
Built by retailers, for retailers
Chris Rodwell, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Retail Council, said the new organisation strengthens the sector’s ability to advocate for practical policy outcomes.
“ARC is a new national voice built by retailers, for retailers. Bringing the ARA and NRA together gives the sector greater strength and impact, and allows us to work more effectively with members, industry partners and governments on practical policies that support retail’s future,” Rodwell said.
“Retail underpins everyday Australian life, and ARC exists to stand up for the people and businesses that make it possible.”
Top Image: FABRIC