Retail figures show retail hurt
PEOPLE have been leaving department stores to spend more at cafes and restaurants, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed.
The latest retail trade figures showed turnover fell 0.8% in July, after 1.2% growth the previous month.
Much of the fall was driven by a fall in spending in department stores, down by 10.2%, followed by other retailing, down 2.8%, and clothing, footwear and personal accessories, down 0.9%.
Over the longer term, department stores remained the weakest performing industry, down 0.5% in the past year; while cafes, restaurants and takeaway food outlets were up 0.8% in the same period.
Retail turnover fell in all states and territories except Western Australia.
Turnover was down 1.1% in Queensland, down 0.8% in New South Wales, while Western Australia was up 0.5% in trend terms.
