MEDIA RELEASE
3 December 2012	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	198/2012

The latest ABS Retail Trade figures show that Australian retail turnover was relatively unchanged (0.0 per cent) in October 2012, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 0.5 per cent in September 2012.

The only industry to rise this month was food retailing (0.9 per cent). This was offset by falls in household goods retailing (-1.6 per cent), other retailing (-0.5 per cent), cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (-0.3 per cent), department stores (-0.1 per cent) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-0.1 per cent). Over the longer term, food retailing remains the strongest performing industry (up 0.5 per cent in trend terms).

Turnover rose in Western Australia (1.2 per cent), Queensland (0.5 per cent), New South Wales (0.1 per cent) and the Northern Territory (3.5 per cent). These rises were offset by falls in Victoria (-0.5 per cent), South Australia (-1.1 per cent), the Australian Capital Territory (-2.2 per cent) and Tasmania (-1.9 per cent). Over the longer term, Western Australia remains the strongest performing state (up 0.8 per cent in trend terms).

The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.2 per cent in October 2012. This follows a rise of 0.2 per cent in September 2012 and a rise of 0.2 per cent in August 2012.

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.