8501.0 - Retail Trade, Australia, Dec 2013  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 06/02/2014   
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MEDIA RELEASE
6 February 2014
Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
08/2014
Retail turnover rises 0.5 per cent in December 2013

The latest ABS Retail Trade figures show that Australian retail turnover rose 0.5 per cent in December 2013, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 0.7 per cent in November 2013.

Turnover rose in food retailing (2.5 per cent), cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.5 per cent) and department stores (0.3 per cent). These rises were partially offset by falls in other retailing (-3.1 per cent), clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-2.1 per cent) and household goods retailing (-0.2 per cent). Over the longer term, in dollar movements, food retailing is the strongest contributor to growth (up 0.6 per cent in trend terms).

Turnover rose in New South Wales (0.9 per cent), Victoria (0.6 per cent), Queensland (0.2 per cent), Tasmania (1.8 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (1.3 per cent) and Western Australia (0.1 per cent). These rises were partially offset by falls in the Northern Territory (-1.5 per cent) and South Australia (-0.2 per cent). Over the longer term, in dollar movements, New South Wales was the strongest contributor to growth (up 0.7 per cent in trend terms).

Through the year, Australian retail turnover rose 5.7 per cent in December 2013, seasonally adjusted, compared to December 2012.

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.6 per cent in December 2013. This follows a 0.6 per cent rise in November 2013. Through the year, the trend estimate rose 4.6 per cent in December 2013 compared to December 2012.

In volume terms, turnover rose 0.9 per cent in the December quarter 2013, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 0.8 per cent in the September quarter 2013.

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


Media note:

  • Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • 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.