Retail turnover rises 0.6% in January

Australian retail turnover rose 0.6 per cent in January 2021, seasonally adjusted, according to preliminary retail trade figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

Turnover rose 10.7 per cent when compared to January 2020. 

Ben James, Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, said: "There continues to be variations in retail sales between states and territories, as COVID-19 restrictions are tightened or eased in different parts of the country.

All states and territories rose in January, except Queensland (-1.5 per cent), where a three day lockdown impacted trade. NSW (1.0 per cent) led the rises, as restrictions that began in December were eased during January." 

Food retailing led the rises by industry, as supermarkets recovered from a fall in December 2020. There were falls in clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing, household goods retailing, and department stores, which all saw impacts from interrupted trade in Queensland. 

Further information is available in Retail Trade, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 8501.0.55.008) and full results will be available in Retail Trade, Australia (8501.0), released 4 March 2021.

The ABS thanks all those who contributed data to this release. Further ABS data measuring the impact of COVID-19 on Australia can be found on the ABS website.