The Australian Retailers Association over the years has helped develop many industry codes of practice. Codes of practice can help the retail industry self regulate with guidelines more effective in addressing industry issues than perhaps government regulation could achieve.

Industry codes of practices can be a result from government pressure to adopt practical practices within a given industry such as the Plastic Bag Code of Practice. By adopting the Plastic Bag Code of Practice the retail industry is showing its willingness to address its impact on the environment.

If you are a clothing retailer in NSW you should be aware of the Mandatory Ethical Clothing Trades Extended Responsibility Scheme that came into effect on 1 July 2005. This scheme is administered by the Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) to help stamp out the exploitation of outworkers and will apply to all clothes manufactured in Australia, which are retailed in NSW.

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has secured an exemption from the OIR's mandatory scheme known as the Ethical Clothing Trades Extended Responsibility Scheme. This exemption will apply to ARA members who sign up to the voluntary National Retailers Ethical Clothing Code of Practice .

The development of industry codes of practice can also be a result of retailers requiring guidelines for dealing with parties outside the retail industry such as the code of practice between Local Government and Retailers for the management of Shopping Trolleys. By working together Local Government and retailers can help reduce the problem of abandoned shopping trolleys. This Code of Practice is intended as a practical guide for use by councils and retailers to advise on the development of systems and agreements between councils and retailers for trolley collection and return to stores.

Industry codes of practice also show the retail industry's willingness to address specific issues such as scanning errors that may occur at computerised checkout systems. The Scanning Code of Practice provides supermarkets with guidelines on how to deal with this issue ensuring supermarket customers are protected. This code is now managed by ANRA.

The following Codes may be of interest and relevance to retailers. If you have any questions please contact the ARA on 1300 368 014 or email