Retail spending steady in September
Australian retail turnover rose 0.1 per cent in September 2024, according to seasonally adjusted figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
This comes after growth of 0.7 per cent in August 2024 and a flat result in July 2024.
Robert Ewing, ABS head of business statistics, said: “After a boost last month from warmer-than-usual weather, retail spending held firm in September.”
Trend estimates from March 2020 to June 2022 are not available due to the degree of disruption and volatility caused by COVID-19. Trend estimates throughout the pandemic period are likely to be unhelpful and potentially misleading for users in interpreting underlying trend in retail activity.
Turnover results were mixed across the industries.
Household goods retailing (0.5 per cent) had the largest rise, having been the only industry to fall last month (-0.4 per cent).
“The rise in household goods was led by Western Australian spending on hardware and gardening items after unseasonal rainfall last month reduced sales,” Mr Ewing said.
Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.4 per cent) was the only other industry to rise this month.
Department stores (-0.5 per cent), clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-0.1 per cent) and food retailing (-0.1 per cent) all had small falls following rises in August.
“The August boost in spending on alcohol was temporary, with a sharp reversal in liquor retailing this month driving the fall in food spending,” Mr Ewing said.
Other retailing remained unchanged (0.0 per cent).
Retail turnover growth was mixed across the country with most states and territories maintaining August levels.
“The Northern Territory had the largest fall as heavy unseasonal rain impacted spending. It was the first monthly fall following four consecutive monthly rises,” Mr Ewing said.
Retail volumes rise 0.5 per cent following two straight falls
Today’s release also includes quarterly retail sales volumes, which rose 0.5 per cent (seasonally adjusted) in September quarter 2024.
The rise in the September quarter followed consecutive falls of 0.4 per cent in both the June and March quarters 2024.
“Retail sales volumes rose for only the second time in the past two years, regaining some of the lost ground in discretionary spending this year,” Mr Ewing said.
Trend estimates from March 2020 to June 2022 are not available due to the degree of disruption and volatility caused by COVID-19. Trend estimates throughout the pandemic period are likely to be unhelpful and potentially misleading for users in interpreting underlying trend in retail activity.
Retail volumes on a per capita basis (-0.1 per cent) fell for the ninth straight quarter, down 1.9 per cent compared to this time last year.
Retail price growth (0.6 per cent) slowed this quarter, down from a 1.0 per cent rise in the June quarter, based on data from the latest Consumer Price Index.
“The September quarter rise in volumes coincides with an easing of retail price growth this quarter,” Mr Ewing said.
“Recent spending patterns continue to show that consumers remain price conscious and responsive to discounting.”
More detailed industry and state analysis and further information on the statistical methodology is available in Retail Trade, Australia.
The ABS would like to thank businesses for their continued support in responding to our surveys.
Media notes
- Volume estimates measure changes in value after the direct effects of price changes have been removed. See chain volume measures for more details.
- Revisions to seasonally adjusted estimates are due to concurrent methodology, which reflects improvements in the data as changes in the seasonal pattern become clearer and distinct from irregular events. For further information, please refer to the article released in November explaining the effect of changes in the seasonality of retail turnover and the seasonality in retail turnover section of survey impacts and changes.
- Seasonal adjustment is the process of estimating and removing seasonal effects to allow comparison of data for adjacent months. This includes a Father's Day effect, which is caused when the first Sunday in September falls in the first few days of the month, and Father's Day shopping occurs in August. See methodology for more details.
- The trend series attempts to measure underlying behaviour in retail activity. It is recommended that trend estimates be used alongside the seasonally adjusted headline measure to analyse and understand underlying activity in retail spending over the longer term. See methodology for more details on trend estimates.
- A media statement on Thursday 23 November 2023 announced that the ABS would be ceasing the publication of Retail Trade, Australia in July 2025. For more information, please visit the Future cessation of the Retail Business Survey and Retail Trade Publication webpage
- When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
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