Retail Trade, Australia

This is not the latest release View the latest release

Monthly and quarterly estimates of turnover and volumes for retail businesses, including store and online sales.

Reference period
January 2021
Released
4/03/2021

Key statistics

The January 2021 seasonally adjusted estimate: 

  • Rose 0.5% month-on-month. 
  • This updates the rise of 0.6% published in the Preliminary Retail Trade release.
  • Australian turnover rose 10.6% compared to January 2020.
Turnover at current prices
Jan-2021 ($m)Dec-2020 to Jan-2021 (% change)Jan-2020 to Jan-2021 (% change)
Trendnanana
Seasonally Adjusted30,512.30.510.6

na not available

Total retail turnover

Changes in this issue

To understand more about any changes in this issue, suspension of trend estimates, and COVID-19 in January, please read the survey impacts and changes

Analysis by industry

Food retailing

Food retailing rose 1.6% ($196.1m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:      

  • rose 1.3% ($138.4m) for Supermarket and grocery stores.       
  • rose 2.3% ($30.2m) for Liquor retailing.      
  • rose 3.1% ($27.5m) for Other specialised food retailing.

Household goods retailing

Household goods retailing rose 0.1% ($4.9m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.    

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:        

  • rose 1.0% ($19.5m) for Hardware, building and garden supplies retailing.
  • rose 0.4% ($5.9m) for Furniture, floor coverings, houseware and textile goods retailing.
  • fell 1.0% (-$20.5m) for Electrical and electronic goods retailing.

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing fell 3.6% (-$86.3m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.    

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:

  • fell 6.1% (-$101.1m) for Clothing retailing.
  • rose 2.0% ($14.8m) for Footwear and other personal accessory retailing.

Department stores

Department stores fell 0.4% (-$6.4m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.

Other retailing

Other retailing rose 1.4% ($64.4m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.        

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:        

  • rose 2.8% ($56.0m) for Other retailing n.e.c..
  • rose 7.2% ($37.5m) for Other recreational goods retailing.
  • fell 1.2% (-$20.6m) for Pharmaceutical, cosmetic and toiletry goods retailing. 
  • fell 4.1% (-$8.5m) for Newspaper and book retailing.

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services fell 0.8% (-$29.2m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:

  • fell 1.2% (-$20.1m) for Takeaway food services.
  • fell 0.4% (-$9.1m) for Cafes, restaurants and catering services.

Original estimates for chains and larger retailers, and smaller retailers

  • The original estimate for chains and other larger retailers fell 23.4% in January 2021.
  • The original estimate for smaller retailers fell 19.8% in January 2021.

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Survey impacts and changes

Changes in this issue

Suspension of trend series

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in January

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 8501.0.

Inquiries

Inquiries about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070. The ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS will handle any personal information that you provide to us.

Back to top of the page