As expected, retail spending nosedived in the September quarter as lockdown forced closed shops to shut and consumers to stay home.
Retail sales volumes fell 8.1 per cent (quarter on quarter) on a seasonally adjusted basis, although the slump was not as severe as the 10 per cent fall most economists had expected.
With price effects included, the seasonally adjusted total sales values fell 7 per cent (or $2 billion) compared with the 4.2 per cent ($1.1 billion) rise in the June 2021 quarter, StatsNZ said.
Auckland - which suffered the hardest and longest lockdown restrictions - saw the biggest fall.
The Auckland region dominated the national fall with a record decrease of 15 per cent ($1.5 billion) in the September quarter, compared with the 6.2 per cent ($618 million) rise in the June quarter, StatsNZ said.