Retail Trade, Australia

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Monthly and quarterly estimates of turnover and volumes for retail businesses, including store and online sales.

Reference period
December 2020
Released
5/02/2021

Key statistics

The December 2020 seasonally adjusted estimate: 

  • Fell 4.1% month-on-month.
  • This updates the fall of 4.2% published in the Preliminary Retail Trade release. 
  • Rose 9.6% compared with December 2019.
  • In volume terms, the seasonally adjusted estimate rose 2.5% in the December quarter 2020.
Turnover at current prices
Dec-2020 ($m)Nov-2020 to Dec-2020 (% change)Dec-2019 to Dec-2020 (% change)
Trendnanana
Seasonally Adjusted30,368.8-4.19.6

na not available

Turnover in volume terms
December Qtr 2020 ($m)September Qtr 2020 to December Qtr 2020 (% change)December Qtr 2019 to December Qtr 2020 (% change)
Trendnanana
Seasonally Adjusted86,933.22.56.4

Total retail turnover

Changes in this issue

To understand more about any changes in this issue, suspension of trend estimates, and COVID-19 in December, please read the survey impacts and changes

Analysis by industry

Food retailing

Food retailing fell 1.7% in December, in seasonally adjusted terms.

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:  

  • fell 1.8% for Supermarket and grocery stores.       
  • fell 1.9% for Other specialised food retailing.           
  • fell 0.3% for Liquor retailing.     

Household goods retailing

Household goods retailing fell 8.3% in December, in seasonally adjusted terms.       

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:           

  • fell 15.5% for Electrical and electronic goods retailing.        
  • fell 5.0% for Furniture, floor coverings, houseware and textile goods retailing.
  • fell 2.0% for Hardware, building and garden supplies retailing.

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing fell 9.4% in December, in seasonally adjusted terms.    

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:      

  • fell 9.3% for Clothing retailing.
  • fell 9.7% for Footwear and other personal accessory retailing.      

Department stores

Department stores fell 12.5% in December, in seasonally adjusted terms.    

Other retailing

Other retailing fell 4.4% in December, in seasonally adjusted terms.

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:        

  • fell 5.8% for Other retailing n.e.c..     
  • fell 19.2% for Other recreational goods retailing.       
  • fell 1.2% for Newspaper and book retailing.          
  • rose 2.4% for Pharmaceutical, cosmetic and toiletry goods retailing. 

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services rose 3.2% in December, in seasonally adjusted terms.       

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:    

  • rose 4.0% for Cafes, restaurants and catering services.       
  • rose 2.2% for Takeaway food services.

Original estimates for chains and larger retailers, and smaller retailers

  • The original estimate for chains and other larger retailers rose 18.5% in December 2020.
  • The original estimate for smaller retailers rose 14.3% in December 2020.

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Survey impacts and changes

Changes in this issue

Suspension of trend series

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in December

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 8501.0.

Inquiries

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