Australian retail turnover rose 1.2% in June 2025 in seasonally adjusted terms, with spending up 4.9% compared to the same month last year, driven by mid-year discount events and product launches, according to the final retail trade report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The result follows a marginal 0.2% increase in May and soundly beat market expectations of a 0.4% increase.
“The strong June month rise in retail turnover was driven by discounts linked to sales and new product releases,” said Robert Ewing, ABS' head of business statistics.
“Mid-year sales events increased spending on discretionary items like furniture, electrical goods and clothing.”
Non-food spending dominated the increase, with household goods retailing rising 2.3% and ‘other retailing’ up 1.9%.
“Consumers are targeting sales events with a focus on value for big-ticket items like household furniture, bedding, electronic devices and TVs,” Ewing added.
“Turnover for electrical and gaming retailers was lifted further by the much-anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, which delivered record sales.”
Department store sales climbed 1.9% or $36.6 million, while clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing rose 1.5% or $47.0 million, driven by end-of-financial-year discounts and seasonal winter clothing demand.
Food retailing recovered with a 0.9% gain, while cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services declined 0.4%.
Online retailing surged 3.9% to $4.70 billion in June, accelerating from May’s 0.2% rise. Through-year growth was 13%.
Non-food online sales accounted for $3.25 billion, up 4.5%, while food sales rose 2.5% to $1.45 billion.
Final ABS Retail Trade Report
Today’s release marks the final Retail Trade, Australia publication after 74 years. The survey first reported in 1951 under Chief Statistician Sir Roland Wilson.
“Today’s final publication comes 74 years after Sir Roland Wilson released the results of the first Retail Trade survey,” said Australian Statistician Dr David Gruen AO.
“The ABS would like to thank the many businesses that have contributed over the 74 years of the Retail Business Survey.”
Monthly consumption data will now be provided through the Monthly Household Spending Indicator (MHSI), which offers broader coverage across both goods and services.
Building Approvals Surge in June
In a separate release, the ABS reported that total dwellings approved rose 11.9% in June to 17,076, the highest level since August 2022, smashing market expectations of a 2% increase.
“This movement was driven by a strong rise in private dwellings excluding houses, which rose 33.1% to 7,594,” said Daniel Rossi, ABS head of construction statistics.
Private sector house approvals fell 2.0% to 9,142, following a 1.0% decline in May. Approvals dropped in most states, with Queensland down 6.3%. Victoria was the only state to record an increase, rising 1.4%.
“The average approval value for new private sector houses has continued to rise year-on-year but has slowed during the 2024–25 financial year,” Rossi said. The average value in 2024–25 was $493,185, a 4.8% rise from the previous year.
In seasonally adjusted terms, total dwelling approvals rose in New South Wales, up 31.5%, Queensland, adding 7.3%, and South Australia, gaining 2.5%, while Western Australia declined 6.4% and Victoria decreased 6.1%.
The value of total building approvals increased 6.2% to $16.65 billion, driven by a 15.0% rise in non-residential building to $7.23 billion. Residential building values rose 0.3% to $9.41 billion, with new dwellings up 0.7% and alterations and additions down 2.2%.
The ABS said the trend estimate for total dwellings approved rose 1.5% in June, continuing a steady recovery in the construction pipeline.
