Retail turnover rises 1.3 per cent in July

Australian retail turnover rose 1.3 per cent in July 2022, the largest rise in four months, according to the Retail Trade figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

The rise in July follows a 0.2 per cent rise in June 2022 and 0.7 per cent rise in May 2022.

Ben Dorber, head of retail statistics at the ABS, said: “After slowing growth in recent months, the 1.3 per cent rise in July was the largest since the 1.6 per cent rise in March 2022.

"Turnover rose in five of the six retail industries in July 2022. This shows that, despite cost-of-living pressures, households are continuing to spend."

Department stores had the largest rise, up 3.8 per cent, followed by clothing, footwear, and personal accessory retailing (3.3 per cent), cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services (1.8 per cent), other retailing (1.6 per cent) and food retailing (1.2 per cent).

Household goods retailing fell for the third time in four months, down 1.1 per cent in July 2022.

Turnover rose in Victoria (1.8 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (1.8 per cent), Western Australia (1.6 per cent), New South Wales (1.3 per cent), South Australia (1.2 per cent), the Northern Territory (0.7 per cent) and Queensland (0.4 per cent).

Tasmania was the only state where retail turnover fell, down 0.3 per cent. This was the state’s first fall in 2022.

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