RDP 9505: Labour-Productivity Growth and Relative Wages: 1978-1994 Appendix: The Structure of the Retail Industry

Philip Lowe

September 1995

Type of store Locations Employment Turnover Square metres/
location		 Turnover/
square metres		 Turnover/employee
($; 1989/90 prices)
  $m 1991/92 % 1991/92 % change 1991/92 % change
Supermarket and grocery 9,476 179,619 26,093 560 23.3 4,918 5.4 145,269 8.9
Meat, fish and poultry 7,337 28,324 2,772 97 −2.0 3,899 8.6 97,868 −7.8
Fruit and vegetables 3,650 18,032 1,871 170 31.6 3,008 −3.9 103,760 3.8
Liquor 1,882 8,786 2,130 213 −10.2 5,312 2.4 242,431 −13.1
Bread and cakes 4,755 29,715 1,165 108 21.1 2,267 −11.3 39,206 −16.1
Takeaway food 20,334 131,126 5,299 92 7.4 2,832 4.3 40,412 −17.2
Specialised food n.e.c. 5,773 22,045 1,898 82 23.3 3,996 5.4 86,097 8.9
Total specialised food 43,731 238,028 15,134 105 11.2 3,294 −5.0 63,581 −18.7
Total food retailing 53,207 417,647 41,227 186 10.9 4,164 1.0 98,713 −6.2
Department stores 430 86,576 9,798 9,084 3.1 2,508 −10.5 113,172 3.5
Clothing 15,564 64,537 6,314 150 13.6 2,696 −5.7 97,835 −1.6
Footwear 3,188 13,897 1,303 132 −6.2 3,088 3.7 93,761 −2.0
Fabrics and other soft goods 3,309 13,219 1,080 177 24.0 1,846 −12.3 81,701 −2.5
Total clothing and soft goods 22,061 91,653 8,697 152 12.0 2,597 −5.0 94,891 −1.3
Furniture 3,032 14,401 2,507 670 17.3 1,234 −18.8 174,085 −10.5
Floor covering 1,361 5,413 978 348 −9.8 2,063 −10.1 180,676 −14.6
Domestic hardware and housewares 5,036 28,781 3,506 393 40.8 1,771 −4.4 121,816 12.8
Domestic appliances 4,045 20,555 4,446 287 15.1 3,829 −3.3 216,298 8.8
Recorded music retailing 838 3,353 444 105 11.3 5,045 10.9 132,419 9.0
Total furniture, houseware, appliances 14,312 72,503 11,881 401 20.2 2,072 −8.8 163,869 0.2
Sport and camping equipment 3,356 11,568 1,186 180 16.8 1,960 −6.9 102,524 −0.2
Toys and games 989 3,884 391 190 16.8 2,080 −6.9 100,669 −0.2
Newspapers, books and stationery 6,928 35,860 4,014 138 −18.6 4,199 29.7 111,935 −6.1
Photographic equipment 428 2,225 343 110 38.8 7,298 32.5 154,157 27.0
Marine equipment retailing 644 2,760 437 186 22.0 3,642 −36.0 158,333 −22.7
Total recreational goods 12,345 56,297 6,371 155 4.6 3,323 1.6 113,168 −6.0
Pharmaceutical, cosmetics and toiletries 5,646 38,932 4,084 136 9.2 5,325 15.0 104,901 7.8
Antiques and used goods 4,268 10,111 637 186 24.7 803 −16.4 63,001 −4.5
Garden supplies 2,420 9,430 626 662 17.7 391 −7.3 66,384 2.4
Flowers 2,567 7,079 341 65 17.2 2,042 −7.3 48,171 2.2
Watches and jewellery 3,512 16,073 1,451 80 −2.8 5,182 49.4 90,276 31.3
Retailing n.e.c. 9,513 29,401 2,066 116 −3.1 1,876 15.3 70,270 −7.6
Total other personal and household good retailing 27,926 111,026 9,205 169 8.8 1,955 1.5 82,909 4.1
Total household equipment repair services 3,258 9,633 506 95 n.a 1,627 n.a 52,528 n.a
Total personal and household goods 80,332 427,688 46,458 248 8.4 2,331 −7.1 108,626 −1.0

Note: Percentage changes are from 1985/86 to 1991/92.

Source: ABS Cat. No. 8623.1.