Australian consumers spent $8.1 million over the Easter trading period, a modest 4.5 per cent leap over 2022 that failed to rise above the 7.3 year-on-year inflation rate.

This figures are according to Westpac DataX research and the Australian Retailers Association.

Department store sales were up 7.4 per cent year-on-year, however household goods fell 2.5 per cent compared to 2022.

Not surprisingly, grocery retailing made up the biggest sector, up 8.6 per cent to $3.6 billion.

Cafes, restaurants, and of takeaways were up 4.6 per cent, other retailing at 3.9 per cent, and clothes, footwear and personal accessories up 2.8 per cent.

Despite the modest spend, ARA CEO Paul Zahra sees any uptick as a “positive result”.

“It’s evident that we’re in a discretionary spending slowdown, with homewares and household goods in decline. Shoppers are increasingly conscious of spending less, and shopping strategically to find the best deal and save,” Zahra said.

Jade Clarke, head of Westpac DataX, caused the slowdown “a natural result of inflation.”