Inside Retail presents the Australian Retail Index.

The index gives a quick overview of retail statistics in four key categories; fashion and accessories, furniture and homewares, sporting and recreational, and other.

Key retail statistics are shown weekly, with yearly comparisons available.

Retail sales across the country remained flat last week, posting a very slight increase of just 0.52 per cent from the previous week. As modest as this figure is, it shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the same week in 2014 saw a very similar figure of -0.44 per cent.

The first week of spring didn’t bring the spending lift fashion retailers were hoping for, with the Index recording a drop in this sector of 2.85 per cent on the previous week. The furniture and homewares and sporting sectors also took a hit, dropping 5.19 per cent and 1.68 per cent respectively. All in all, a fairly negative week for retailers – here’s hoping the warmer weather helps unlock the retailer spending we have been expecting at this time of year.