Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on 25 June 2026 shows household spending increased by 1.3 per cent in May, reversing the 1.1 per cent decline seen in April. The rise was driven by increases across all nine spending categories. Transport spending rose 1.4 per cent after a 4.7 per cent fall in April, largely due to travel‑related refunds normalising after flight cancellations linked to the Middle East conflict. Fuel spending, still elevated, fell 0.4 per cent in May after a 2.1 per cent rise in April, reflecting the ongoing impact of a fuel excise duty cut. Discretionary categories such as hotels, cafes and restaurants (up 1.9 per cent) and clothing and footwear (up 2.7 per cent) also grew. Food spending increased 1.1 per cent. Annual household spending was 5.5 per cent higher than in May 2025, up from 5.1 per cent in April.
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This article is a summary of content originally published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
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