Brief lockdowns in Victoria and Western Australia saw retail sales down in February, with the first estimate from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing a fall of 1.1% for the month.
That was much worse than some market estimated of a rise of 0.3%.
Total turnover fell $345 million between in February from January as more targeted lockdowns saw parts of both states closed for five days or ore.
When compared with February 2020, sales were up 8.7% in seasonally adjusted terms down from the 10.7% rise in the year to January.
In fact retail sales have slowed noticeably from month on month peak growth rate in November in the wake of the ending of the long lockdown in Victoria.
The annual rate has slid from 13.2% in November to 8.7% in February.
In dollar terms sales have fallen from $31.57 billion last November to just over $30.19 billion in February.
Ben James, the ABS’s Director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys, said in Friday’s release: “Restrictions due to COVID-19 in Victoria, and parts of Western Australia, drove the February fall. Victoria fell 4 per cent, and Western Australia fell 6 per cent, as trade was restricted for five days in each state.”
The falls were partially offset by rises in NSW and Queensland.
Mr Quilty said that both WA and Victoria had seen trade impacted by COVID-19 in January, and in February saw rises in industries such as clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing and department stores.”
Food retailing led the falls by industry, falling in every state and territory.
While through-the-year sales remain 6.5% above the levels of February 2020, they have eased from the levels seen in the middle of 2020.
Results were mixed across the other industries.
