Retail sales flat in August, says Stats NZ

Photo / Steven McNicholl

Retailers hoping for a business boost in August had their hopes dashed, says Stats NZ, which is reporting retail sales virtually unchanged for the month.

Seasonally adjusted total retail sales fell less than 0.1 per cent ($2 million), Statistics New Zealand said today.

This follows a fall of 0.5 per cent ($27 million) in July 2010.

"Sales in the motor vehicle and automotive fuel industries recorded the largest increases. However, these were offset by decreases in three-quarters of the 20 core industries," business statistics manager Louise Holmes-Oliver said.

Core industries exclude the four vehicle-related industries.

The main movements were:

• motor vehicle retailing, up 2.3 per cent ($14 million)

• automotive fuel retailing, up 2.1 per cent ($ 11 million)

• hardware retailing, down 5.8 per cent ($7 million).

Sales in core retailing were down 0.6 per cent ($25 million) in August 2010 following a flat month in July (down 0.1 per cent or $6 million). Only two of the 20 core industries moved up or down by more than $5 million.

The trend in total retail sales has been rising since February 2009, up 3.8 per cent since then. Core retailing is up 0.9 per cent since a turning point in February 2010.

In actual terms, total retail sales rose 2.3 per cent ($120 million) in August 2010 compared with August 2009. Core retail sales rose 0.1 per cent ($4 million) over the same period.

- NZ HERALD ONLINE