Retail Trade, Australia

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Monthly and quarterly estimates of turnover and volumes for retail businesses, including store and online sales.

Reference period
March 2021
Released
10/05/2021

Key statistics

The March 2021 seasonally adjusted estimate: 

  • Rose 1.3% month-on-month.
  • This updates the rise of 1.4% published in the Preliminary Retail Trade release. 
  • Rose 2.2% compared with March 2020.
  • In volume terms, the seasonally adjusted estimate fell 0.5% in the March quarter 2021.
Turnover at current prices
Mar-2021 ($m)Feb-2021 to Mar-2021 (% change)Mar-2020 to Mar-2021 (% change)
Trendnanana
Seasonally Adjusted30,699.61.32.2

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Turnover in volume terms
March Qtr 2021 ($m)December Qtr 2020 to March Qtr 2021 (% change)March Qtr 2020 to March Qtr 2021 (% change)
Trendnanana
Seasonally Adjusted86,393.3-0.54.7

Total retail turnover

Changes in this issue

To understand more about any changes in this issue, suspension of trend estimates, and COVID-19 in March, please read the survey impacts and changes

Analysis by industry

Food retailing

Food retailing fell 0.9% (-$116.4m) in March, in seasonally adjusted terms.                        

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:                         

  • fell 1.2% (-$122.0m) for Supermarket and grocery stores.
  • fell 0.6% (-$6.9m) for Liquor retailing.
  • rose 1.4% ($12.5m) for Other specialised food retailing.

Household goods retailing

Household goods retailing fell 0.1% (-$4.0m) in March, in seasonally adjusted terms.                    

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:                         

  • fell 2.1% (-$44.2m) for Electrical and electronic goods retailing.
  • rose 1.9% ($36.5m) for Hardware, building and garden supplies retailing.               
  • rose 0.2% ($3.7m) for Furniture, floor coverings, houseware and textile goods retailing.  

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing

Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing rose 5.4% ($128.6m) in March, in seasonally adjusted terms.                               

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:                         

  • rose 5.6% ($89.1m) for Clothing retailing.                             
  • rose 5.0% ($39.5m) for Footwear and other personal accessory retailing.

Department stores

Department stores rose 8.5% ($141.7m) in March, in seasonally adjusted terms.

Other retailing

Other retailing rose 1.4% ($62.8m) in March, in seasonally adjusted terms.                        

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:                         

  • rose 2.3% ($47.3m) for Other retailing n.e.c..                     
  • rose 1.5% ($26.6m) for Pharmaceutical, cosmetic and toiletry goods retailing.                     
  • rose 2.7% ($5.4m) for Newspaper and book retailing.                      
  • fell 3.0% (-$16.3m) for Other recreational goods retailing.             

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services

Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services rose 4.8% ($186.3m) in March, in seasonally adjusted terms.                     

By industry subgroup, the seasonally adjusted estimate:                         

  • rose 5.9% ($126.7m) for Cafes, restaurants and catering services.                             
  • rose 3.5% ($59.5m) for Takeaway food services. 

Original estimates for chains and larger retailers, and smaller retailers

  • The original estimate for chains and other larger retailers rose 12.9% in March 2021.
  • The original estimate for smaller retailers rose 14.2% in March 2021.

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Survey impacts and changes

Changes in this issue

Suspension of trend series

Coronavirus (COVID-19) in March

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 8501.0.

Inquiries

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