Retail in Queensland copped a huge hit during the most recent lockdown and tight restrictions across south-east Queensland.

CEO of the National Retailers Association, Dominique Lamb, said it was “lost money” particularly with the school holidays in the mix.

“We saw $300 million lost by retailers alone in Queensland, which is quite significant … lockdowns are very, very expensive for retailers, mainly because people do’t get out and about and they don’t shop,” she told Scott Emerson.

She said mandatory masks can be off-putting for some.

“We know that wherever there are mandatory masks wearing, it is a deterrent for people to go shopping.

“We know that people certainly will stay away from shops if they have to wear a mask, of course that ends on Friday.

“We also know that where there has been a snap lockdown, we see a slower return to those centres.”

She said the QR codes were also a “friction point” for consumers, which unfortunately had spurred on more abuse and frustration against retail staff.

She said it was absolutely necessary from a health perspective, but could be frustrating for customers who wanted instant gratification and didn’t want to wait to enter a store.

Press PLAY to hear her insight into the impact of the most recent lockdown

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