Retail sales for December 2022

First signs of slowdown emerging

Published: 06 February 2023

Australian retail sales data for December 2022 shows strong overall growth but increasing dispersion across categories. Both supermarkets and cafes & restaurants did well. Department stores also had a strong month. Household goods were weak, especially given the level of price inflation. Additional disclosure from ABS on volumes, shows that 80% of the strong December quarter for retail growth came from price inflation. The timeline of price inflation fading will have a significant bearing on the slowdown in retail in 2023 and adds to near-term risks in household goods but should result in stronger sales in food categories for this calendar year.

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