Retail spending grows 0.2% in February, short of estimates
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The news: Australian retail turnover rose 0.2% in February, slightly short of average estimates of 0.3%, according to new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The numbers: The latest monthly figure follows a rise of 0.3% in January 2025 and a fall of 0.2% in December 2024.
Food-related spending drove the rise in retail turnover, with both food retailing (0.6%) and cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (0.2%) climbing for a second straight month.
Spending in the non-food industries was mixed, however. Other retailing (-1%) fell after seeing the largest rise in January (2.4%). Household goods retailing (-0.3%) also dropped for a second straight month.
This was partly offset by spending growth in department stores (1.5%) and clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (0.4%).
Retail turnover was up in most states and territories, led by Western Australia (0.8%), which had its seventh straight monthly rise, and New South Wales (0.5%).
The context: The ABS noted that spending on household goods continued to moderate with lower discretionary spending following promotion-based growth across the December quarter.
The source: ABS
