Retail sales improved by 1.2% in June
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The news: Australian retail revenue increased by 1.2% in June compared to the previous month and posted the highest year-on-year growth rate since March 2023, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The numbers: Retail turnover growth lifted 1.2% in June, an improvement on the 0.5% in May and flat April results, in seasonally adjusted current prices. It rose 4.9% in annual terms.
Non-food related spending drove most of the growth, led by household goods (+2.3%) and other retailing (+1.9%). All industry groups posted sales revenue growth in June except for cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services which dipped by 0.4%.
June quarter retail sales volume growth was 0.3% in seasonally adjusted terms, the fourth consecutive quarter of growth following March 2025 (+0.1%), December 2024 (+0.8%) and September (+0.3%).
All states and territories posted growth in seasonally adjusted current prices, except for Western Australia.
The context: ABS head of business statistics Robert Ewing said the rise in retail sales was driven by discounts linked to sales and new product releases.
Ewing said mid-year sales events in particular drove spending on “big ticket items like household furniture, bedding, electronic devices and TVs”. He also flagged the much-anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2.
After 74 years, this is the last release of this specific monthly data set. From August, the ABS will release monthly household spending statistics through the Monthly Household Spending Indicator.
ABS head David Gruen said the indicator will provide a “more comprehensive view of consumption, across both goods and services”.
The sources: ABS media release, ABS
