Retail spending steady in December

Media Release
Released
3/02/2025

Australian retail turnover fell 0.1 per cent in December 2024, according to seasonally adjusted figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

This comes after growth of 0.7 per cent in November 2024 and 0.5 per cent in October 2024.     

Robert Ewing, ABS head of business statistics, said: “Retail spending held firm following strong growth in recent months with promotional activity stretched across the quarter.

“Cyber Monday fell in early December and boosted spending to begin the month, particularly on discretionary items like furniture, homewares, electronics and electrical items.”

Trend estimates from March 2020 to June 2022 are not available due to the degree of disruption and volatility caused by COVID-19. Trend estimates throughout the pandemic period are likely to be unhelpful and potentially misleading for users in interpreting underlying trend in retail activity.

Turnover results were mixed across the industries.

Household goods retailing (1.6 per cent) had the largest rise, with a fourth straight month of growth over 1.0 per cent.

“Cyber Monday drove more spending on household goods as consumers took advantage of discounts on big ticket items,” Mr Ewing said.

Department stores (0.4 per cent) and food retailing (0.1 per cent) also rose.

“Food retailing was impacted by supply chain disruptions this month, particularly in Victoria, which saw households shift some spending away from supermarkets,” Mr Ewing said.

The rises were offset by falls in clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-1.8 per cent) and other retailing (-1.4 per cent). Both industries had risen in November.

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services also fell (-0.5 per cent). This followed a November rise of 1.4 per cent, which was the largest since January 2024. 

Retail turnover was mixed across the country with most states and territories seeing a fall.

Discounting and promotions drive the rise in volumes

Today’s release also includes quarterly retail sales volumes, which rose 1.0 per cent (seasonally adjusted) in December quarter 2024.

This comes after volumes growth of 0.5 per cent in September quarter 2024 and a fall of 0.2 per cent in the June quarter.

“Retail sales volumes rose for the second straight quarter, boosted by continuous promotional activity,” Mr Ewing said.

“Sales events throughout the quarter like Black Friday and Cyber Monday saw more discretionary spending on things like furniture, electronic goods and clothing.”

Trend estimates from March 2020 to June 2022 are not available due to the degree of disruption and volatility caused by COVID-19. Trend estimates throughout the pandemic period are likely to be unhelpful and potentially misleading for users in interpreting underlying trend in retail activity.

Retail volumes on a per capita basis (0.5 per cent) rose for the first time since June quarter 2022.

“Per capita retail spending has risen for the first time in over two years. The rise coincides with an easing of retail price growth and with cost-of-living relief measures,” Mr Ewing said.

Retail price growth (0.4 per cent) slowed this quarter, down from a 0.6 per cent rise in the September quarter, based on data from the latest Consumer Price Index.

More detailed industry and state analysis and further information on the statistical methodology is available in Retail Trade, Australia.

The ABS would like to thank businesses for their continued support in responding to our surveys.

Media notes

  • A media statement on Thursday 23 November 2023 announced that the ABS would be ceasing the publication of Retail Trade, Australia in July 2025. For more information, please visit the Future cessation of the Retail Business Survey and Retail Trade Publication webpage
  • Volume estimates measure changes in value after the direct effects of price changes have been removed. See chain volume measures for more details.
  • Adjustments known as seasonal breaks have been applied to account for changes in spending patterns due to Black Friday. For further information, please refer to the article released in November 2023 explaining the effect of changes in the seasonality of retail turnover and the Black Friday sales and seasonality in retail turnover section of survey impacts and changes.
  • Revisions to seasonally adjusted estimates are due to concurrent methodology, which reflects improvements in the data as changes in the seasonal pattern become clearer and distinct from irregular events. 
  • Seasonal adjustment is the process of estimating and removing seasonal effects to allow comparison of data for adjacent months. See methodology for more details.
  • When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
  • For media requests and interviews, contact the ABS Media Team on 1300 175 070 or media@abs.gov.au (monitored 8:30am-5pm Canberra time, Monday-Friday).
  • Watch our data crash course, designed especially for journalists to learn how to find, download and interpret our data.
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