8501.0 - Retail Trade, Australia, May 2011  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/07/2011   
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MEDIA RELEASE
4 July, 2011
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)

84/2011
Retail turnover falls 0.6% in May 2011

The latest ABS Retail Trade figures show that Australian retail turnover fell 0.6% in May 2011, seasonally adjusted, following a rise of 1.2% the previous month.

Turnover fell in Other retailing (-1.6%), Food retailing (-0.4%), Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-1.8%), Department stores (-1.4%) and Household goods retailing (-0.2%). Turnover rose in Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.4%).

The fall in Australian retail turnover was driven by New South Wales (-1.2%) and Victoria (-1.1%). Turnover also fell in South Australia (-0.7%), the Australian Capital Territory (-0.6%) and Tasmania (-0.2%). Queensland (0.0%) was relatively unchanged. Turnover rose in Western Australia (0.8%) and the Northern Territory (0.1%).

Trend turnover rose 0.3% in May 2011. This follows a rise of 0.3% in April 2011 and a rise of 0.3% in March 2011. Trend turnover rose 2.4% in May 2011 compared with May 2010.

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 Other retailing in terms of its ANZSIC 2006 classes, please refer to paragraph 6 of the Explanatory Notes.