The Australian Board of Statistics released its monthly report of retail trade today.
Australian retail turnover rose 1.0 per cent in April 2017, seasonally adjusted, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures. This follows a fall of 0.2 per cent in March 2017.
In seasonally adjusted terms, there were rises in food retailing (1.2 per cent), cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (1.1 per cent), department stores (2.5 per cent), other retailing (0.6 per cent), household goods retailing (0.4 per cent) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (0.3 per cent).
In seasonally adjusted terms there were rises in all states and territories. Queensland (2.4 per cent) led the rise, and there were also rises in Victoria (1.0 per cent), South Australia (1.1 per cent), Western Australia (0.4 per cent), New South Wales (0.1 per cent), Tasmania (1.2 per cent), the Northern Territory (1.8 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (0.9 per cent) in April 2017.
The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.1 per cent in April 2017 following a 0.1 per cent rise in March 2017. Compared to April 2016 the trend estimate rose 2.7 per cent.
Online retail turnover contributed 3.4 per cent to total retail turnover in original terms.
APRIL KEY POINTS
CURRENT PRICES
- The total trend estimate rose 0.1% in April 2017. This follows a rise of 0.1% in March 2017 and a rise of 0.1% in February 2017.
- The seasonally adjusted estimate rose 1.0% in April 2017. This follows a fall of 0.2% in March 2017 and a relatively unchanged February 2017 (0.0%).
- In trend terms, Australian turnover rose 2.7% in April 2017 compared with April 2016.
- The following industries rose in trend terms in April 2017: Food retailing (0.2%), Other retailing (0.4%), Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.2%), and Department Stores (0.4%). Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-0.4%), and Household goods retailing (-0.1%) fell in trend terms in April 2017.
- The following states and territories rose in trend terms in April 2017: Victoria (0.3%), New South Wales (0.1%), South Australia (0.4%), the Australian Capital Territory (0.3%), and Tasmania (0.1%). Queensland (0.0%) and Western Australia (0.0%) were relatively unchanged. The Northern Territory (-0.1%) fell in trend terms in April 2017.
CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND PERSONAL ACCESSORY RETAILING
In current prices, the trend estimate for Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing fell 0.4% in April 2017.
The seasonally adjusted estimate rose 0.3%. By industry subgroup, the trend estimate fell for both Clothing retailing (-0.3%), and Footwear and other personal accessory retailing (-0.6%). The seasonally adjusted estimate rose for Clothing retailing (1.5%) and fell for Footwear and other personal accessory retailing (-2.2%).
DEPARTMENT STORES
In current prices, the trend estimate for Department stores rose 0.4% in April 2017. The seasonally adjusted estimate rose 2.5%.
