MEDIA RELEASE
05 December 2019	Embargoed: 11:30 am (Canberra time)

Australian retail turnover was relatively unchanged (0.0 per cent) in October 2019, seasonally adjusted, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures.

This follows a rise of 0.2 per cent in September 2019.

"There were falls for clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-0.8 per cent), department stores (-0.8 per cent) and household goods (-0.2 per cent)," said Ben James, Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys.

"These falls were offset by rises in cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.4 per cent) and food retailing (0.1 per cent). Other retailing was relatively unchanged (0.0 per cent)."

In seasonally adjusted terms, there were mixed results across the states. Victoria (-0.4 per cent), New South Wales (-0.2 per cent), and South Australia (-0.5 per cent) fell, while Queensland (0.4 per cent), Tasmania (1.4 per cent), the Northern Territory (2.3 per cent), Western Australia (0.2 per cent), and the Australian Capital Territory (0.3 per cent) rose in seasonally adjusted terms in October 2019.

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.2 per cent in October 2019, following a 0.2 per cent rise in September 2019. Compared to October 2018, the trend estimate rose 2.3 per cent.

Online retail turnover contributed 6.5 per cent to total retail turnover in original terms in October 2019. In October 2018, online retail turnover contributed 5.9 per cent to total retail.

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

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