Australian retail sales grow 0.3% in Jan, clothing aids recovery

Department stores showed stable growth at 0.6 per cent, indicating steady consumer demand. However, household goods retailing experienced a sharp 4.4 per cent decline, offsetting gains in other categories. Other retailing led the growth in January with a 2.4 per cent rise, reflecting strong demand for miscellaneous products, ABS said in a press release.

“While the pick-up in retail spending since mid-2024 has been boosted by more discretionary spending, this month’s rise is mostly driven by food-related spending,” said Robert Ewing, head of business statistics at ABS.

Retail turnover increased across most Australian states and territories, except for New South Wales (-0.3 per cent) and the Northern Territory, which remained largely unchanged.

The total retail sector saw a -0.1 per cent decline in December 2024, and a 0.7 per cent rise in November 2024, indicating a fluctuating yet resilient retail landscape.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (SG)