Australian retail sales increased 1.7% in December compared to the same time last year, according to the latest Mastercard SpendingPulse™, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment.
Most retail categories continued to show sales growth year on year. Apparel (up 6.7%) and Groceries (up 6.6%) reported the biggest increase in trade in December. Lodging also saw gains (up 4.1%), followed by Electronics (up 3.5%). There were year-on-year falls for Home Furnishings (down 2.4%) and Fuel and Convenience (down 4.1%).