Experimental estimates of household spending
In March 2025:
A media statement on Thursday 23 November 2023 announced that the ABS would be enhancing the Monthly Household Spending Indicator (MHSI), and ceasing the Retail Trade publication after the June 2025 reference period. For more information, please see MHSI enhancements below or visit the Future cessation of the Retail Business Survey and Retail Trade Publication webpage.
| Mar-25 ($ millions) | Feb-2025 to Mar-2025 (% change) | Mar-2024 to Mar-2025 (% change) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally Adjusted | 75,472.2 | -0.3 | 3.5 |
| Trend | 75,723.1 | 0.2 | 3.7 |
| Mar Qtr 2025 ($ millions) | December Qtr 2024 to March Qtr 2025 (% change) | March Qtr 2024 to March Qtr 2025 (% change) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally Adjusted | 215,892.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
In seasonally adjusted, current price terms household spending decreased for six of the nine spending categories. The largest decreases were in:
In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, household spending on goods rose 0.1% month-on-month, driven by increased spending on food, household appliances and tools, purchase of vehicles, and goods for recreation and culture.
In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, household spending on services fell 0.7% month-on-month, driven by decreased spending on accommodation services; rail and road transport; motor vehicle repair, maintenance and miscellaneous expenditure; and total health services.
In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, discretionary spending fell 0.4% month-on-month, driven by decreased spending on cigarettes and tobacco, accommodation services, alcoholic beverages, and recreational and cultural services.
In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, non-discretionary spending remained relatively stable month-on-month. Spending on total health services, rail and road transport, and motor vehicle repair and maintenance decreased, while spending on food increased.
In seasonally adjusted, current price terms, household spending decreased for four out of the eight states and territories. The strongest decreases were in:
In Queensland, the household spending categories that drove the fall for the month were:
In New South Wales, the household spending categories that drove the fall for the month were:
In South Australia, the household spending categories that drove the fall for the month were:
hotels, cafes and restaurants (-1.3%).
| NSW | Vic. | Qld | SA | WA | Tas. | NT | ACT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.0 | -0.5 |
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | -3.5 | -1.0 | -2.3 | -3.5 | -4.0 | -1.1 | -2.0 | -2.7 |
| Clothing and footwear | 1.2 | 0.4 | -3.2 | -0.3 | 0.2 | -0.9 | 1.7 | -0.7 |
| Furnishings and household equipment | 0.1 | 0.7 | -0.3 | 0.0 | -0.7 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.9 |
| Health | 0.6 | 0.0 | -3.3 | -1.6 | -0.4 | 0.4 | 21.2 | 2.3 |
| Transport | -2.1 | 1.6 | -3.9 | 0.1 | 2.6 | 1.7 | -1.0 | 2.7 |
| Recreation and culture | -0.3 | -0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 | -0.9 | -0.1 | 0.0 | -0.4 |
| Hotels, cafes and restaurants | -0.2 | -1.0 | -2.5 | -1.3 | -0.8 | -0.7 | -2.9 | -1.0 |
| Miscellaneous goods and services | 0.6 | 1.4 | -1.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.0 | -6.5 | 1.4 |
| Total | -0.3 | 0.4 | -1.3 | -0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | -0.2 | 0.6 |
In seasonally adjusted, volume terms household spending remained relatively unchanged for the quarter. Spending on alcoholic beverages and tobacco (-5.9%) and hotels, cafes and restaurants (-1.2%) decreased, while the largest increases were in miscellaneous goods and services (+1.5%), recreation and culture (+0.9%), and food (+0.4%).
In seasonally adjusted, volume terms the strongest increases were in Northern Territory (+1.6%), Western Australia (+0.6%) and South Australia (+0.4%), while the largest decreases were in the Australian Capital Territory (-0.7%) and Victoria (-0.3%).
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For more information about Data Explorer, see the Data Explorer user guide.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has collaborated with key data users to enhance the Monthly Household Spending Indicator (MHSI) and better address their needs. Based on user feedback, enhancements to MHSI have been progressively rolled out. These improvements provide a more comprehensive view of household consumption, including:
Seasonally adjusted quarterly chain volume measures of spending have been introduced this month for the nine in-scope COICOP Divisions and for the states and territories.
In March 2025 the ABS released an information paper, which provides guidance on using MHSI data: Interpreting the Monthly Household Spending Indicator.
Prior to Retail Trade ceasing, the ABS will continue to work with partners and stakeholders to further enhance the MHSI and provide users with suitable timely data to support their needs. More Information about this transition can be found on the Future cessation of the Retail Business Survey and Retail Trade Publication webpage or through contacting us at household.spending@abs.gov.au.
The ABS would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the participating banks that have enabled the ABS to produce these statistics.
Data is available for:
Aggregated, de-identified bank card transactions data provided to the ABS from participating banks. Also collected are supermarket transactions and new vehicle sales data.
Participating banks send transactions data soon after the end of each calendar month. Supermarkets send weekly transactions files, and VFACTS is received as a monthly delivery from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
Household consumption is categorised to COICOP Divisions. Outputs from 9 COICOPs and all states and territories are published. Data is benchmarked to annual HFCE and adjusted monthly to cover data gaps such as cash spending.
March 2025: