July retail on the up

Shopping bagsAustralian retail turnover in July 2013 has increased by 1.9 per cent on July 2012, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics Retail Trade figures.

The figure also represents a growth on June 2013’s year on year growth, which came in at 1.1 per cent.

July 2013 retail sales totalled $21.8 billion.

Month on month, Australian retail turnover rose 0.1 per cent in July 2013, seasonally adjusted, following a flat June 2013.

The largest contributor to the rise in July 2013 was household goods retailing, which grew 1.8 per cent; followed by food retailing at 0.5 per cent; clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing, 1.4 per cent; and cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services, 0.1 per cent.

These rises were offset by falls in department stores, which dropped an incredible 7.9 per cent, and other retailing, which fell 0.2 per cent.

Over the longer term, the largest contributor to the weakness is department stores, down 1.3 per cent in trend terms.

South Australia was the largest contributor to the rise geographically, growing 1.6 per cent, followed by Victoria, 0.2 per cent; the Northern Territory,3.1 per cent; Tasmania, 1.5 per cent; and the ACT, 0.3 per cent.

Falls were experienced in Western Australia of 0.7 per cent; NSW, 0.1 per cent; and Queensland, 0.2 per cent.
NSW is the largest contributor to the weakness, down 0.2 per cent in trend terms.

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