NZ retail sales up a notch in January

Seasonally adjusted total retail sales rose 0.8 per cent or $42 million in January, pulled ahead by sales of automotive fuel and of vehicles.

Publishing the data today, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said fuel sales gained 2.8 per cent or $15m, and vehicle sales were up 2 per cent or $12m.

Core retail sales, which exclude the four vehicle-related industries, rose 0.3 per cent or $12m, following a 2 per cent fall in December.

The rise in core retailing was led by recreational goods and accommodation - the only two industries in the category which moved more than $5m. Recreational goods rose 4.8 per cent or $9m after a 4.9 per cent fall in December, while accommodation sales rose 3 per cent or $6m.

The total retail sales trend had continued to rise, gaining 3.3 per cent since February 2009, SNZ said.

Having been mostly flat between mid-2007 and early 2009, the core retail sales trend strengthened slightly in mid-2009, but had eased again since then, and was now flat.

Seasonally adjusted sales were up 1.5 per cent in the North Island and down 0.2 per cent in the South Island. The only region with a sales decrease was Canterbury, down 0.9 per cent.

- NZPA