Australian retail sales volumes fell 0.4 per cent in March quarter 2024, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
This follows a rise of 0.4 per cent in December quarter 2023 and a fall of 0.2 per cent in September quarter 2023.
The overall fall in retail sales volumes was mostly dragged down by a drop in household goods retailing of 2.9 per cent, with department stores being the only other industry to record a fall of 0.4 per cent.
Despite the latest fall overall, clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing recorded the largest rise in volumes of 1.3 per cent, followed by ‘other retailing’ which saw an increase of 0.5 per cent.
ABS head of retail statistics Ben Dorber said retail sales volumes fell for the fifth time in the past six quarters as consumers cut back on buying large household items such as furniture and electronic goods.
“The only rise in volumes over the past 18 months was the December quarter last year as extensive discounting from Black Friday sales boosted volumes.”
Retail volumes on a per capita basis fell for a seventh straight quarter by 1 per cent, down 3.6 per cent compared to this time last year.
“Per capita volumes show retail turnover after the effects of inflation and population growth have been accounted for,” Dorber said. “Following an unprecedented seven straight falls, it is very clear how much consumers have pulled back on spending in response to cost of living pressures over the past two years.
“With persistent price inflation on non-discretionary essentials like healthcare, education and housing, discretionary retail spending has been squeezed.”
Meanwhile, the latest retail trade data showed total online sales reached $3.9 billion in March 2024 in seasonally adjusted terms. This is down 0.9 per cent - or $36.5 million following a rise of 1 per cent ($39.3m) in February 2024.
Seasonally adjusted through-the-year sales are up 4.0 per cent, or $152.5 million.
Non-food online sales scored the largest portion at $2.7 billion, while food online sales were $1.2 billion - with both down 0.9 per cent and 0.8 per cent respectively.
In original terms, the proportion of online food retailing sales to total food retailing fell from 6.2 per cent to 6.1 per cent. The proportion for online non-food retailing sales to total non-food retailing fell from 16.7 per cent to 16.6 per cent.
The proportion of online sales to total retailing fell from 10.7 per cent to 10.5 per cent, which remains unchanged compared to the same time last year.