- Actively trading businesses in Retail Trade (ANZSIC division G) across Australia, June 2025
- 156,169 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025.
- Actively trading non-employing businesses in Retail Trade (ANZSIC division G) across Australia, June 2025
- 77,559 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025.
- Actively trading businesses in Retail Trade (ANZSIC division G) with 1 to 4 employees across Australia, June 2025
- 46,888 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025.
About these figures
- These ABS figures count actively trading businesses, not workers, sites or venues, each in its main state or territory.
- Each state's figure adds up the ABS counts for the small areas in it. The ABS adjusts those counts slightly to protect confidentiality, so the sums are approximate.
Summary of the ABS division definition
The Retail Trade Division includes businesses mainly engaged in the purchase and/or onselling, the commission based buying, and the commission based selling of goods, without significant transformation, to the general public. The Retail Trade Division also includes businesses that purchase and onsell goods to the general public using non-traditional means, including the internet. Businesses are classified to the Retail Trade Division in the first instance if they buy finished goods and then onsell them (including on a commission basis) to the general public.
The ABS page for division G gives the full definition.
By employment size
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| All businesses | 156,169 businesses |
| Non-employing | 77,559 businesses |
| 1 to 4 employees | 46,888 businesses |
| 5 to 19 employees | 25,180 businesses |
| 20 to 199 employees | 6,175 businesses |
| 200 or more employees | 367 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
By main state or territory
| Businesses | Count |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | 51,433 businesses |
| Victoria | 47,315 businesses |
| Queensland | 29,365 businesses |
| Western Australia | 13,488 businesses |
| South Australia | 9,024 businesses |
| Tasmania | 2,588 businesses |
| Australian Capital Territory | 1,768 businesses |
| Northern Territory | 939 businesses |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts Retailing
Class profiles
Fuel Retailing
Class profiles
Other Store-Based Retailing
Class profiles
- Clothing Retailing
- Computer and Computer Peripheral Retailing
- Electrical, Electronic and Gas Appliance Retailing
- Flower Retailing
- Furniture Retailing
- Hardware and Building Supplies Retailing
- Newspaper and Book Retailing
- Other Store-Based Retailing n.e.c.
- Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic and Toiletry Goods Retailing
- Sport and Camping Equipment Retailing
- Watch and Jewellery Retailing
Non-Store Retailing and Retail Commission-Based Buying and/or Selling
Sources
Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 8: Businesses by industry division by Statistical Area Level 2 by employment size ranges (8165DC08.xlsx). Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 16 December 2025, checked 15 October 2026.
Correspondence, GCCSA 2021 to GCCSA 2026 (CG_GCCSA_2021_GCCSA_2026.csv). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.
Greater Capital City Statistical Areas digital boundary file, 2026 (GCCSA_2026_AUST_SHP_GDA2020.zip). Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.
Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0): the detailed classification. Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 26 June 2013, checked 16 October 2026.
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