What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover

The Australian Taxation Office publishes ranges for small businesses' main costs as a share of turnover, by industry and size. This page sets them out by industry and turnover band.

The ranges come from tax returns and activity statements of small businesses in each industry. The ATO publishes them so businesses can compare their own figures. This page reproduces them and is not connected with the ATO.

Confectionery retailing

Industry: Confectionery retailing

In Confectionery retailing, the ATO's range for businesses with turnover of more than A$250,000 was 81% to 90% of turnover on total expenses in 2023-24.

See everything we hold on retail trade.

The ATO's ranges for Confectionery retailing, turnover of more than A$250,000, 2023-24Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover. The table below gives the same figures.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

Embed or cite this chart

Use the chart or its figures with the sources named and a link back to this page.

Cite

onestepright, "What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover", updated October 2026, https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

Embed

The image links back to this page.

<a href="https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band"><img src="https://onestepright.com/embed/small-business-cost-ratios/ratios-band.png" alt="The ATO's ranges for Air conditioning, refrigeration and heating services, turnover of more than A$600,000, 2023-24. From onestepright.com. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright." width="704" height="432" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a>
Cost ratios for Confectionery retailing, by turnover band, 2023-24
Turnover (A$)Cost of sales (%)Labour (%)Rent (%)Motor vehicle (%)Total expenses (%)
65,000 to 250,00042 to 55Not published11 to 153 to 573 to 84
More than 250,00043 to 53Not published6 to 131 to 281 to 90

Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

Set your own costs as a share of turnover beside your industry's range. A figure outside the range is a question to ask about your prices and costs.

Who in your business can move a price, and by how much? The pricing check takes about ten minutes.

Small business cost ratios by industry · onestepright