Retail sales reflect a modest rise in March
Overall, retail spending in the first three months of the year was relatively flat despite rising job numbers, high migration, and record international tourism.
After adjusting for price and seasonal effects, total retail sales volumes rose a modest 0.1 per cent. This follows the 1.4 per cent increase in the December 2017 quarter, when there were more industry increases across the board.
"Steady growth in sales volumes for electronics and appliances have led the rise this quarter,” retail trade manager Sue Chapman said. “There has been sustained growth in this industry for some time, with sales trends rising over the past ten years."
Of the 15 retail industries, seven had higher sales volumes in the March 2018 quarter, and eight experienced lower sales volumes. The largest industry increase came from a record dollar value rise in electrical and electronic goods retailing (up 5.4 per cent).
Motor-vehicle and parts
Motor-vehicle and parts retailing have fallen for a third consecutive quarter, down 1.1 per cent ($38 million). This period of lower vehicle and parts sales values follows a period of growth over the earlier six quarters.
Motor-vehicle and parts retailing recorded the largest stock increase, up 4.2 per cent ($74 million). This rise follows a period of stronger stocks levels over the previous four quarters.
Electrical and electronic goods had the second-largest increase, up 19 per cent ($65 million), followed by non-store and commission-based retailing, up 63 per cent ($65 million).
Retail sales in the regions
Nine of the sixteen regions recorded increases in the March 2018 quarter.
The value of sales in the North Island rose 0.4 per cent ($75 million) in the March 2018 quarter, after a 0.7 per cent ($125 million) increase in the December 2017 quarter.
The value of sales in the South Island rose 0.9 per cent ($51 million) in the March 2018 quarter, after a 1.2 per cent ($70 million) increase in the December 2017 quarter.
The largest rises were in the Auckland region, up 0.7 per cent ($62 million), followed by Canterbury, up 1.4 per cent ($43 million), Bay of Plenty, up 1.0 per cent ($15 million) and Southland, up 2.3 per cent ($11 million).
Manawatu-Wanganui and Taranaki regions had the largest falls, down 1.2 per cent ($12 million), and 1.4 per cent ($6 million), respectively.
