Growth In Retail Sales Continues

Retail Trade Survey: September 2000

Retail sales figures for September 2000, released today by Statistics New Zealand, show that the growth seen in the previous two months has continued. Seasonally adjusted sales for the month of September 2000 increased by 0.6 per cent compared to August 2000. The core retailing group (excluding motor vehicle services and retailing) increased sales by 1.1 per cent. The increases were broadly based with all but three storetypes (furniture and floorcoverings, hardware and other stores) increasing sales.

Seasonally adjusted sales for the September 2000 quarter were $10,970 million, an increase of 2.1 per cent compared to the June 2000 quarter. A large quarterly decline in motor vehicle retailing sales, down $42 million partially off-set increased sales for the other storetypes.

Eleven of the 15 storetypes contributed to the $224 million rise in seasonally adjusted sales between quarters. Motor vehicle services ($118 million), which includes petrol sales, and food retailing ($35 million) made the largest dollar contribution to this increase.

When the September quarter price rise of 1.9 per cent is removed, the volume of retail sales rose by 0.2 per cent. Volume growth was stronger in the core retailing group, increasing by 1.3 per cent. Price increases have exceeded volume increases throughout the year. In the March 2000 quarter, volume increased by 0.1 per cent and prices by 0.9 per cent; in the June 2000 quarter, volume increased by 0.5 per cent and prices by 0.6 per cent.

Ian Ewing DEPUTY GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN

END

© Scoop Media