Australian retail sales rose 5.5% in January 2026, a slight softening on recent trends, but still highlighting a strong consumer. Café, takeaway and restaurant sales rose 9.3%, clothing and footwear was up 6.5%. Once again supermarkets and liquor were the laggard at 3.5% growth. The reality is that sales growth momentum is likely to slow, but the January 2026 update is a reminder that the slowdown is likely to be gradual over the next six months.