Australia consumer spending reaches $175 billion in summer season

Australian consumer spending has shown resilience despite cost-of-living pressures. Data from Westpac DataX and oOh!media indicates that Australians spent $175 billion during the summer 2025/26 season, a $9 billion increase from the previous year. Discretionary spending reached $91 billion, with significant growth in theme park visits (up 30 percent) and long-distance road trips.

Retail and hospitality also saw notable boosts during specific seasonal events. ANZ customer data revealed that Father’s Day 2025 generated over $656 million in spending. This included a 25.8 percent surge in newsagents and book retailers, a 19.2 percent increase in takeaway alcohol, and a 13.4 percent rise in spending at cafes and restaurants.

Other significant spending periods included Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which saw $9.5 billion in total spending, and the Australian Open, which contributed $2.8 billion to the Greater Melbourne economy.