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
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