MEDIA RELEASE
03 September 2019	Embargoed: 11:30 am (Canberra time)

Australian retail turnover fell 0.1 per cent in July 2019, seasonally adjusted, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures.


This follows a rise of 0.4 per cent in June 2019.

"There were falls in four of the six industries and six of the eight states and territories in July," said Ben James, Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys. "Cafes, restaurants and takeaway services (-0.6 per cent) led the falls. There were also falls in Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-1.0 per cent), Other retailing (-0.4 per cent), and Department stores (-0.2 per cent). Food retailing (0.3 per cent), and Household goods retailing (0.1 per cent) rose this month".

In seasonally adjusted terms, there were falls in Queensland (-0.2 per cent), New South Wales (-0.1 per cent), South Australia (-0.5 per cent), Victoria (-0.1 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (-0.5 per cent), and Tasmania (-0.1 per cent). There were rises in Western Australia (0.6 per cent), and the Northern Territory (0.3 per cent).

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.1 per cent in July 2019, following a 0.2 per cent rise in June 2019. Compared to July 2018, the trend estimate rose 2.4 per cent.

Online retail turnover contributed 6.1 per cent to total retail turnover in original terms in July 2019. This is unchanged from June 2019. In July 2018, online retail turnover contributed 5.5 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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