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Summary
- The retail sales fell 4.1 per cent in December 2020 after a rise of 7.1 per cent in the previous month.
- The retail sales volumes surged 2.5 per cent in the December quarter 2020, following a 6.5 per cent rise in the September quarter 2020, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data released on Friday showed.
- The annual retail turnover remained at elevated levels, 9.6 per cent above the levels seen in December 2019.
The Australian retailers suffered a drop in sales in December as shoppers pulled back from spending. The retail sales fell 4.1 per cent in December 2020 after a rise of 7.1 per cent in the previous month, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data released on Friday showed. However, the annual retail turnover remained at elevated levels, 9.6 per cent above the levels seen in December 2019.
Commenting on the sales data, Ben James, Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, ABS, said Victoria recorded the steepest decline after robust trade in November as coronavirus restrictions eased. New South Wales also posted a fall as the Northern Beaches cluster impacted spending in the lead-up to Christmas.
Image Source: ABS data, 5 February 2021
Five of the six industries recorded a dip in sales in December. The decline was led by household goods retailing, clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing, department stores, food retailing, and other retailing. The only industry to witness growth in December was the cafes, restaurants, and takeaway food services. Online sales accounted for 9.1 per cent of total retail sales in December 2020.
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Sales in December quarter
The retail sales volumes surged 2.5 per cent in the December quarter 2020, following a 6.5 per cent rise in the September quarter 2020. James said the rise in the December quarter was led by Victoria (12.8 per cent). The seasonally adjusted volumes would have declined in the December quarter without the rise recorded in Victoria, James added.
Image Source: ABS data, 5 February 2021
Clothing, footwear & personal accessory retailing and cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services rose across the country. However, food retailing and household goods retailing recorded quarter-on-quarter decline.
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