4 July 2017	MEDIA RELEASE	78/2017
	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)

Australian retail turnover rose 0.6 per cent in May 2017, seasonally adjusted, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures. This follows a rise of 1.0 per cent in April 2017.

In seasonally adjusted terms, there were rises in household goods retailing (2.2 per cent), clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (1.3 per cent), cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.6 per cent), other retailing (0.6 per cent), and food retailing (0.1 per cent). These rises were offset by a fall in department stores (-0.7 per cent).

The rise in household goods was across all subgroups: electrical and electronic goods retailing (2.8 per cent), furniture, floor coverings, houseware and textile goods retailing (2.0 per cent), and hardware, building and garden supplies retailing (1.5 per cent).

In seasonally adjusted terms there were rises in New South Wales (1.3 per cent), Victoria (1.2 per cent), South Australia (0.8 per cent), Western Australia (0.3 per cent), Tasmania (1.2 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (1.0 per cent). There were falls in Queensland (-1.1 per cent) and the Northern Territory (-0.5 per cent) in May 2017.

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.3 per cent in May 2017 following a 0.3 per cent rise in April 2017. Compared to May 2016 the trend estimate rose 3.2 per cent.

Online retail turnover contributed 3.9 per cent to total retail turnover in original terms.

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.
• Estimates of online retail turnover are only available in original terms and are not available in seasonally adjusted or trend terms.
• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
• Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070 (8.30am - 5pm Mon-Fri).
• Subscribe to our media release notification service to notify you of ABS media releases or publications upon their release.