The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported Friday that Australia’s retail sales fell 2.7 percent m-o-m in July, following an unrevised 1.8 percent m-o-m drop in June. That was the largest monthly drop since December 2020.

Economists had forecast retail sales would decline 2.7 percent m-o-m in July.

According to the ABS, the biggest declines in retail turnover were registered in the industries, which were highly impacted by physical store closures, including cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (-12.3 percent m-o-m), clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-15.4 percent m-o-m), and department stores (-11. percent m-o-m). At the same time, food retailing (+2.3 percent m-o-m) recorded the largest advance as coronavirus restrictions kept households at home, limiting their mobility. Other retailing (+0.6 percent m-o-m) also rose, in part due to additional online sales.