Western Australia led the growth in retail trade in August with a 1.1 per cent increase in sales according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Nationally retail sales were up 0.3 per cent, from an upwardly revised $20.405 billion in July.
The result was mainly on the back of a 1.5 per cent rise in sales in cafes, restaurants and at takeaway food outlets in August - the largest increase of any retail trade sector.
However, sales in clothing and footwear slumped 1.5 per cent in the month, as did grocery sales, which fell 0.3 per cent.
The other states to record an increase in retail sales were New South Wales (0.7 per cent), ACT (0.7 per cent), followed by South Australia (0.1 per cent) and Tasmania (0.2 per cent).
Sales in Victoria (-0.2 per cent), Queensland (-0.1 per cent) and Northern Territory (-0.5 per cent) decreased in August.
August was the sixth straight month of growth after the 0.9 per cent fall in February.
"The pattern of spending revealed in the ABS data suggests to me that spending has held up well," ICAP senior economist Adam Carr said.
"Particular strength can be found in cafes and restaurants and other retailing."
Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said, "August retail trade figures confirm the end of a very soft winter for retailers with cages and restaurants still propping up the sector."
"Fashion retailers are suffering heavily as they have all year and are hoping for a stronger period of growth leading into the vital Christmas period from mid November," he said.
