MEDIA RELEASE
3 June 2014	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	66/2014

The latest ABS Retail Trade figures show that Australian retail turnover rose 0.2 per cent in April 2014, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 0.1 per cent in March 2014.

The largest contributor to the rise was department stores (2.9 per cent), followed by food retailing (0.2 per cent), cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.5 per cent) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (0.2 per cent). These rises were partially offset by falls in household goods retailing (-1.0 per cent) and other retailing (-0.2 per cent).

The state which was the largest contributor to the rise was Victoria (0.8 per cent), followed by New South Wales (0.1 per cent), Tasmania (0.4 per cent), the Northern Territory (0.5 per cent) and South Australia (0.1 per cent). These rises were partially offset by falls in Queensland (-0.3 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (-0.8 per cent) and Western Australia (-0.1 per cent).

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.4 per cent in April 2014. This follows a rise of 0.4 per cent in March 2014 and a rise of 0.5 per cent in February 2014.

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

Media note:

For a detailed definition of each industry group and subgroup in terms of its ANZSIC 2006 classes, please refer to paragraph 6 of the Explanatory Notes.
Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070