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Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia - Market Research Report (2013-2028)

Kayla Wheeler Kayla Wheeler Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: August 2023 ANZSIC G4200

Revenue

$247.0bn

2023-24

$247.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

721

Businesses

87,736

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia industry analysis

The Consumer Goods Retailing subdivision has faced an unpredictable retail landscape. Most notably, the pandemic has triggered vast economic uncertainties during its course and aftermath. The challenging circumstances during the pandemic spurred unexpected growth, as consumers with accumulated savings shifted their expenditure from hospitality and travel to retail consumer goods. This helped boost revenue at an annualised rate of 2.9% over the past five years, reaching an anticipated $247.0 billion by 2023–24. Still, high inflation and cash rate hikes post-pandemic have hampered consumers' purchasing power and willingness to spend on consumer goods, preventing further growth. A 0.9% revenue drop is expected in 2023–24, owing to consumer pessimism and the cost-of-living crunch.

Trends and Insights

  • Despite the challenges, the Consumer Goods Retail subdivision has grown moderately, thanks to a short-term period of solid disposable income and consumer spending growth. However, recent financial hardships have spurred a downturn in consumer spending – detrimental to the sector.
  • Consumer Goods Retailing subdivision, a diverse sector selling everything from furniture to fashion, is grouped into three segments. Household goods are the largest category, followed by clothing, footwear, personal accessories and other consumer items like books or appliances.
  • New South Wales and Victoria dominate the Australian retail landscape, accounting for over half of all establishments. This trend is buoyed by their dense population centres and robust economic activity.
  • Retailers in the Consumer Goods sector have grappled with ruthless competition as thrifty consumers cut back on non-essential spending. Strategies like price discounting, expanding product ranges and significant branding are used to attract and retain customers.
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Everything you need in one report

  • Reliable market estimates from 2013-2028
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
  • Online membership platform with PDF, Word, Excel and PPT exports

Industry Overview

Market size and recent performance (2013-2028)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 2.9 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $247.0bn in 2023.

Trends and Insights

Consumer pessimism and tapering spending pose challenges to subdivision expansion

  • Demand for consumer goods correlates closely with trends in real household disposable income, a driver that has fluctuated over recent years.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia
Revenue (2013-2028)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The retail trading landscape is headed for improvement

  • Improving economic conditions and stabilising inflation over the coming years will benefit consumer goods retailers.

Biggest companies in the Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Wesfarmers
31,467.8
JB Hi-Fi
9,803.3
Woolworths
4,685.2

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Household goods, Clothing, footwear and personal accessories and Other consumer goods. Household goods is the largest segment of the Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Inflation has begun biting retailers of consumer goods

  • Household goods include furniture, housewares, computers, hardware, building supplies and domestic appliances.
  • More insights available in the full report

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Competitors

  • Online Shopping in Australia
  • Furniture, Appliance and Equipment Rental in Australia

Complementors

  • Department Stores in Australia
  • Clothing Retailing in Australia
  • Furniture Retailing in Australia
  • Domestic Appliance Retailing in Australia

International industries

  • Retail Trade in the US
  • Consumer Electronics Stores in Canada
  • Clothing Retailing in New Zealand
  • Department Stores in the UK
  • Großhandel mit Elektronikbauteilen und Telefonen

View all industries in Australia

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Subdivision operators sell personal and household items such as clothing, furniture, appliances, computers and garden supplies. The subdivision does not include revenue from sales of food, fuel, alcohol or motor vehicles, or online-only retail.

What's included in this industry?

Household goodsClothing, footwear and personal accessoriesNewspapers, books and stationery goodsCosmeticsSports and camping equipment Toys and games and entertainment media

Companies

WesfarmersJB Hi-FiWoolworths

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

POINT OF SALE (POS)RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)WHOLESALE BYPASS

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 4279 - Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Despite the challenges, the Consumer Goods Retail subdivision has grown moderately, thanks to a short-term period of solid disposable income and consumer spending growth. How...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Employees, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Businesses, including historical (2013-2022) and forecast (2023-2028)
  • Profit, including historical (2013-2023)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Consumer Goods Retailing subdivision, a diverse sector selling everything from furniture to fashion, is grouped into three segments. Household goods are the largest category,...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2023
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2023
  • Major market segmentation in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

New South Wales and Victoria dominate the Australian retail landscape, accounting for over half of all establishments. This trend is buoyed by their dense population centres ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2023

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2023
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2023
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2023

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Retailers in the Consumer Goods sector have grappled with ruthless competition as thrifty consumers cut back on non-essential spending. Strategies like price discounting, exp...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2018-2023
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Wesfarmers, a conglomerate with multiple top brands like Bunnings, Officeworks, Target and Kmart under its umbrella, is notably surpassing its rivals, holding over 5% of the m...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2019 through 2023
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2023
  • Overview of Wesfarmers's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of JB Hi-Fi's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of Woolworths's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2017 through 2023
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Wesfarmers, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for JB Hi-Fi, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Woolworths, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Consumer goods retailers face moderate regulation, primarily on employment conditions and trading hours. Recent liberalisation in trading hours and amended penalty rates have...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2013-2028) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Across all sectors in the Consumer Goods Retailing subdivision, purchase costs overwhelmingly top the list. Although, these costs can differ dramatically based on factors lik...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2023
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Employee (2013-2028)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Establishment (2013-2028)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • Average Wage (2013-2028)
  • Wages/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2013-2028)
  • IVA/Revenue (2013-2028)
  • Imports/Demand (2013-2028)
  • Exports/Revenue (2013-2028)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2013-2028)
  • IVA (2013-2028)
  • Establishments (2013-2028)
  • Enterprises (2013-2028)
  • Employment (2013-2028)
  • Exports (2013-2028)
  • Imports (2013-2028)
  • Wages (2013-2028)

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia is $247.0bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia industry in 2023?

There are 87,736 businesses in the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.9 % between 2018 and 2023.

Has the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 2.9 % between 2018 and 2023.

What is the forecast growth of the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Consumer Goods Retailing market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Consumer Goods Retailing market in Australia are Wesfarmers, JB Hi-Fi and Woolworths

What does the Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia include?

Household goods and Clothing, footwear and personal accessories are part of the Consumer Goods Retailing industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Consumer Goods Retailing in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Wesfarmers.

How competitive is the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Consumer Goods Retailing industry in Australia.