Retail sales rose 1.1 per cent in April

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Released
21/05/2021
Source
Retail Trade, Australia, Preliminary, April 2021

Australian retail turnover rose 1.1 per cent in April 2021, seasonally adjusted, according to preliminary retail trade figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

Turnover rose 25.1 per cent when compared to April 2020. The sharp rise in annual turnover is due to the very low levels of retail turnover recorded in April 2020. Nationwide coronavirus restrictions in April 2020 saw physical stores closed for all but essential retail, and restrictions placed on people leaving their homes.  

Ben James, Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, said: "Food retailing led the rises in April, following falls in both February and March 2021. All industries except department stores rose, with similar rises for cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services, household goods retailing, and other retailing. 

New South Wales and Victoria led the state rises, with sales continuing to return in Sydney and Melbourne. A lockdown in Western Australia in April saw a 1.5% fall in that state"

Further information is available in Retail Trade, Australia, Preliminary (cat. no. 8501.0.55.008) and full results will be available in Retail Trade, Australia (8501.0), released 3 June 2021.

The ABS thanks all those who contributed data to this release. Further ABS data measuring the impact of COVID-19 on Australia can be found on the ABS website.

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