Retail Sales Flat

Retail Trade Survey: April 2006

13 June 2006

Retail Sales Flat

Seasonally adjusted total retail sales decreased 0.1 percent in April 2006 compared with March 2006, Statistics New Zealand said today. The trend in retail trade sales has been increasing since May 1998 but the increase has been slowing and, in recent months, has flattened.

The decrease in April seasonally adjusted sales was mainly due to a 0.2 percent fall in sales for the core retailing group, which excludes vehicle-related industries. April 2006 sales for vehicle-related industries were relatively unchanged from March, as higher automotive fuel retailing sales offset lower sales in other vehicle-related industries.

Increases were recorded for nine of the 24 retail industries in April 2006. The largest dollar increases were for supermarket and grocery stores (up $26 million), and automotive fuel retailing (up $25 million).

On a regional basis, seasonally adjusted sales increased in Auckland, Waikato and Wellington.

April 2006 sales in other regions were slightly lower than in March 2006.

Geoff Bascand
Acting Government Statistician

ENDS

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