Life News

Australia's Father's Day: more people buying, but each spending $10 less on Dad

Australians are expected to spend about $730m on Father's Day this Sunday, 6 September, according to a survey by the Australian Retail Council (ARC) and Roy Morgan. That is $10m, or 1.4%, more than last year, but the gain comes from more shoppers rather than bigger gifts.

Ragtrader reported that 5.5 million Australians, or 23% of the population, plan to buy a gift, up from 4.7 million (20%) last year. The average spend per shopper, however, falls from $145 to $135, a drop of 6.9%. Food and alcohol are the most popular gifts at 29%, followed by clothing, shoes and sleepwear at 19%, experiences such as a dinner or trip at 14% and gift cards at 11%.

“Australians want to celebrate Dad, but they are being careful about how much they spend.” — Fleur Brown, Australian Retail Council, via Ragtrader and SmartCompany

SmartCompany, which covers small business, reported the same ARC figures, including the 14% of buyers planning to give an experience rather than a physical gift.

How each outlet framed it

• Ragtrader — the fashion trade angle: clothing, footwear and sleepwear as the second biggest category.
• SmartCompany — the small business angle: more customers, smaller baskets.

What we don't know yet: The $730m is a forecast based on a survey of intentions, not actual sales, and neither report breaks down spending by state or age group. For families, the takeaway mirrors other 2026 gift seasons: people still celebrate, but trim the budget.