And it seems people are spending up on home improvements with the largest increases in spending on furniture and household equipment (14.9 per cent). They were also going out more with hotels, cafes and restaurants showing a 14.3 per cent increase and transport a 12.4 per cent increase.
“As COVID-19 restrictions eased, household spending increased in eight of the nine spending categories in April 2022 compared to April 2021. Spending in recreation, hospitality and retail continued to rise. Spending on health was the only category to decrease in April 2022, down 1.4 per cent,” said Andrew Tomadini, head of Macroeconomic statistics at the ABS.
All states and territories recorded increases in household spending in April 2022, compared to April 2021. Queensland (11.4 per cent), South Australia (9.5 per cent) and Western Australia (8.1 per cent) recorded the strongest through-the-year increases in spending.
Compared to pre-pandemic January 2020 estimates, total household spending was 9.0 per cent higher in current price, calendar adjusted terms.
The strongest increases in household spending were recorded in clothing and footwear (up 25.9 per cent), alcoholic beverages and tobacco (up 21.6 per cent), and health (up 14.5 per cent). Household spending on hotels, cafes and restaurants recovered to 3.3 per cent above pre-pandemic levels. Transport remains the only spending category below pre-pandemic levels (down 4.6 per cent).
