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Retail Sales Recover, Costs Climb

by | Fri, May 27 2022

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Australians splashed a record $33.9 billion in stores, shops, cafes, restaurants and online marketplaces last month, with food spending the biggest rise.

April’s 0.9% jump in retail spending is the fourth consecutive monthly rise in retail turnover this year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The month-on-month climb isn’t as much as the 1.6% to 1.8% rises seen from January to March, but is up 9.6% on April 2021.

Spending at cafes, restaurants and takeaway food outlets was up 3.3% while supermarkets and other food retailers enjoyed an increase of 1.9%.

“The strength in retail turnover is being driven by spending across the food industries,” ABS director of quarterly economy wide statistics Ben James said.

“High food prices have combined with increased household spending over the April holiday period as more people are travelling, dining out and holding family gatherings.”

Spending on household goods fell 2.7% and department store takings dropped 2.5% compared to March, but were still well up on the year before.

“April was another phenomenal result for retailers overall, with trade boosted by the Easter long weekend when many people got away for holidays which coincided with a relaxing of domestic border controls and COVID restrictions on businesses,” according to Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra.

“While sales are increasing, so too are business costs and staff shortages remain an ongoing concern,” he said.

There are more than 29,000 job vacancies in the sector.

With Australian Associated Press