8501.0 - Retail Trade, Australia, Dec 2012  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 06/02/2013   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All
MEDIA RELEASE
6 February 2013
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
15/2013
Retail turnover falls 0.2 per cent in December 2012

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures show that Australian retail turnover fell 0.2 per cent in December 2012, seasonally adjusted, following a fall of 0.2 per cent in November 2012.

The largest contributor to the fall was other retailing (-2.8 per cent) followed by cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (-1.1 per cent) and food retailing (-0.1 per cent). These falls were partially offset by rises in clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (2.1 per cent), household goods retailing (0.8 per cent), and department stores (0.8 per cent). Over the longer term, the weakest performing industries were household goods retailing (down 0.4 per cent in trend terms) and other retailing (down 0.5 per cent in trend terms).

The largest contributor to the fall was New South Wales (-0.7 per cent), followed by Victoria (-0.2 per cent), Western Australia (-0.3 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (-0.8 per cent). These falls were partially offset by rises in Tasmania (2.0 per cent), the Northern Territory (0.7 per cent) and South Australia (0.1 per cent). Queensland (0.0 per cent) was relatively unchanged. Over the longer term, South Australia was the weakest performing state (down 0.4 per cent in trend terms) whilst Tasmania has fallen in trend terms for 14 consecutive months.

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover fell 0.1 per cent in December 2012. This follows a relatively unchanged November 2012 (0.0 per cent) and a relatively unchanged October 2012 (0.0 per cent).

In volume terms, turnover rose 0.1 per cent in the December quarter 2012, seasonally adjusted, following a fall of 0.3 per cent in the September quarter 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.