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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
January 2021
Released
4/03/2021

Key statistics

The January 2021 seasonally adjusted estimate: 

  • Rose 0.5% month-on-month. 
  • This updates the rise of 0.6% published in the Preliminary Retail Trade release.
  • Australian turnover rose 10.6% compared to January 2020.
Turnover at current prices
Jan-2021 ($m)Dec-2020 to Jan-2021 (% change)Jan-2020 to Jan-2021 (% change)
Trendnanana
Seasonally Adjusted30,512.30.510.6

na not available

Total retail turnover

Changes in this issue

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

Analysis by industry

Food retailing

Food retailing rose 1.6% ($196.1m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:      

  • rose 1.3% ($138.4m) for Supermarket and grocery stores.       
  • rose 2.3% ($30.2m) for Liquor retailing.      
  • rose 3.1% ($27.5m) for Other specialised food retailing.

Household goods retailing

Household goods retailing rose 0.1% ($4.9m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.    

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:        

  • rose 1.0% ($19.5m) for Hardware, building and garden supplies retailing.
  • rose 0.4% ($5.9m) for Furniture, floor coverings, houseware and textile goods retailing.
  • fell 1.0% (-$20.5m) for Electrical and electronic goods retailing.

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing fell 3.6% (-$86.3m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.    

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:

  • fell 6.1% (-$101.1m) for Clothing retailing.
  • rose 2.0% ($14.8m) for Footwear and other personal accessory retailing.

Department stores

Department stores fell 0.4% (-$6.4m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.

Other retailing

Other retailing rose 1.4% ($64.4m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.        

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:        

  • rose 2.8% ($56.0m) for Other retailing n.e.c..
  • rose 7.2% ($37.5m) for Other recreational goods retailing.
  • fell 1.2% (-$20.6m) for Pharmaceutical, cosmetic and toiletry goods retailing. 
  • fell 4.1% (-$8.5m) for Newspaper and book retailing.

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services fell 0.8% (-$29.2m) in January, in seasonally adjusted terms.

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:

  • fell 1.2% (-$20.1m) for Takeaway food services.
  • fell 0.4% (-$9.1m) for Cafes, restaurants and catering services.

Original estimates for chains and larger retailers, and smaller retailers

  • The original estimate for chains and other larger retailers fell 23.4% in January 2021.
  • The original estimate for smaller retailers fell 19.8% in January 2021.

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Survey impacts and changes

Changes in this issue

Suspension of trend series

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in January

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 8501.0.

Inquiries

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