The latest ABS retail trade figures show that sales in October rose 0.3%, seasonally adjusted, with Cafes, Restaurants & Takeaway Food Services (+1.1%) the second best performing sector. The news caps a reasonably good run for restaurants and takeaway outlets over the past few months as the economic recovery leads to more Australians going out for dinner. Food retailing, which includes supermarkets, bakers and fresh food stores, saw seasonally adjusted sales fall 0.1%, however. Low inflation... ...Read more »

Australian retail sales fell in July, led down by a softer performance from the food retail sector. The restaurant, takeaway food and café sector posted another improved performance, however, in a sign that soaring consumer confidence is boosting interest in eating out after a year in which the ‘cocooning’ trend became a major talking point. On seasonally adjusted terms, food retailing sales were down 1.9 per cent, while restaurants, cafés and take-away stores recorded a one per cent... ...Read more »

Cafés, restaurants and takeaway stores (C/R/TS) recorded their worst monthly sales performance of the year, along with general food retailing – which includes grocers, bakeries, fishmongers and butchers. On seasonally adjusted figures, the ABS saw both divisions falter, with food retail down 0.7 per cent on May figures and the C/R/TS sector declining 1.7 per cent month-on-month. It was the second time this year that the sectors had recorded a fall in sales, however the declines can largely... ...Read more »

The latest data from the ABS has shown restaurants, take-away outlets and cafés record seasonally adjusted growth of 1.4 per cent in May, outstripping the rise in sales of 1 per cent seen in the food retail sector (which includes specialty food retailers, grocers and supermarkets) and the retail sector at large. Restaurants The result overturns a 0.5 per cent decline in seasonally adjusted sales for restaurants, cafés and take-away outlets and suggests consumers were inclined to spend some of... ...Read more »

Australian crop production increased in 2007-08 in comparison to the previous year, but generally remains at among the lowest levels in five years, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The numbers of livestock fell while the horticulture sector reported mixed results. Lack of water was labelled as the major contributor, with a near complete suspension of rice production. Drought conditions and industry adjustments have lead to a decline in livestock, with sheep and... ...Read more »

Food retail sales rose again in March, according to the latest ABS data, but the rate of growth has fallen as restaurants and take-away outlets received a more substantial boost. The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said the 2.2 per cent growth in retail turnover for March was in line with predictions and showed signs of slow recovery as cashed-up consumers re-entered the market. ARA Executive Director Richard Evans suggested the better-than-expected figures were the result of economic stimuli... ...Read more »

Retail turnover declined in the month of February in all sectors, after rises in the previous two months as retail sales defied the downturn with the help of a robust food sector. Retail industry body, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), believes the negative two per cent growth in retail turnover for February is reflective of a traditionally difficult time of year for retailers. ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said the retail sector has been retracting since coming off the peak of the... ...Read more »

The latest ABS data has indicated that restaurants, cafés and take-away outlets have begun to regain some of the customers they may have lost last year, while food retail continues to record robust results. The seasonally adjusted estimate of retail trade surprisingly increased by 0.2% in January 2009, following increases of 3.8% in December and 0.4% in November 2008. In original terms, Australian turnover decreased by 23.0% in January 2009 compared with December 2008 as sales declined in the month... ...Read more »

The rate of trend growth for food retailing increased again in the December quarter, the Australian Bureau of Statistics advised today. It represented the third straight quarter of the trend growth rate rising, with a 1.8% increase for the food retail sector. However, the ABS noted that the rate of growth was more greatly influenced by price hikes than by volume increases. Restaurants, cafes and restaurants saw a 0.6% decline in trend growth, the fourth straight decline for the sector as consumers... ...Read more »

The latest ABS retail data has shown food retailers had their best ever festive season, with this year’s December sales 7.7 per cent higher than corresponding figures last year. Cafés, restaurants and take-away stores were not as fortunate, however, with a meagre 0.06% rise on sales figures from last December. It continues the trend of food retailing, which includes supermarkets and specialty food stores, far outstripping the sales growth of the restaurant, café and take-away sector as predictions... ...Read more »