8501.0 - Retail Trade, Australia, Aug 2013  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 01/10/2013   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All
MEDIA RELEASE
1 October 2013
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
170/2013
Retail turnover rises 0.4 per cent in August 2013

The latest ABS Retail Trade figures show that Australian retail turnover rose 0.4 per cent in August 2013, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 0.1 per cent in July 2013.

The largest contributor to the rise in August 2013 was department stores (6.4 per cent) followed by cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.4 per cent), clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (0.3 per cent) and food retailing (0.1 per cent). These rises were partially offset by falls in household goods retailing (-0.6 per cent) and other retailing (-0.2 per cent). Over the longer term, the largest contributor to the strength is food retailing (up 0.1 per cent in trend terms).

The state which was the largest contributor to the rise was Victoria (0.6 per cent) followed by New South Wales (0.4 per cent), Western Australia (0.7 per cent), Queensland (0.2 per cent), the Northern Territory (1.3 per cent) and Tasmania (0.3 per cent). These rises were partially offset by falls in South Australia (-0.2 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (-0.8 per cent). Over the longer term, South Australia is the largest contributor to the strength (up 0.6 per cent in trend terms).

Through the year, Australian retail turnover rose 2.3 per cent in August 2013, seasonally adjusted, compared to August 2012.

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover was relatively unchanged in August 2013 (0.0 per cent). This follows a rise of 0.1 per cent in July 2013. Through the year, the trend estimate rose 1.7 per cent in August 2013 compared to August 2012.

More detailed industry analysis and further information on the statistical methodology is available in Retail Trade, Australia (cat no. 8501.0).

Media note:

  • Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • For a detailed definition of each industry group and subgroup in terms of its ANZSIC 2006 classes, please refer to paragraph 6 of the Explanatory Notes.