Australia’s retail turnover rose by 0.4 per cent in May, seasonally adjusted, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Retail Trade figures.
For the seventh consecutive month there was an increase in liquor retailing for the month, while the overall retail turnover increase follows a 0.5 per cent rise in retail turnover in April.
Liquor retailing, which is classified within the food retailing category by ABS, saw a trend estimate rise of 0.3 per cent in May. That trend estimate has been in steady growth since its showed a slight 0.1 per cent drop in November 2017.
Food retailing as a whole increased by 0.3 per sent with increases for supermarket and grocery (0.4 per cent) and other specialised food retailing (0.1 per cent).
The ABS also publishes a seasonally adjusted estimate which had liquor retailing flat at 0.0 per cent, supermarket and grocery at 0.1 per cent and a 2.8 per cent increase for specialised food retailing.
Looking at the overall retail turnover trends for the country, ABS said: “In seasonally adjusted terms, there were rises in New South Wales (0.5 per cent), Queensland (0.4 per cent), South Australia (1.1 per cent), Victoria (0.2 per cent), Tasmania (1.5 per cent), and the Northern Territory (0.4 per cent). Western Australia, on the other hand fell (-0.5 per cent) in seasonally adjusted terms, whilst the Australian Capital Territory (0.0 per cent) was relatively unchanged.
“The trend estimate for Australian retail turnover rose 0.3 per cent in May 2018 following a rise (0.3 per cent) in April 2018. Compared to May 2017, the trend estimate rose 2.8 per cent.
“Online retail turnover contributed 5.6 per cent to total retail turnover in original terms in May 2018, a rise from 5.4 per cent in April 2018. In May 2017 online retail turnover contributed 3.9 per cent to total retail.”
It was slightly worse news for the cafés, restaurants and takeaway food services category, which showed an unchanged trend estimate at 0.0 per cent. The seasonally adjusted estimate for the category fell by one per cent and within industry subgroups the trend estimate rose for Takeaway food services (0.2 per cent), and fell for Cafes, restaurants and catering services (-0.1 per cent). The seasonally adjusted estimate was unchanged for Takeaway food services (0.0 per cent), and fell for Cafes, restaurants and catering services (-1.7 per cent).