Retail electronic card spending up in June

Total electronic card transactions were up 0.8 per cent in June, with the retail sector enjoying a 1.2 per cent lift. Photo / file

In a welcome sign of life in the troubled retail sector, Statistics NZ says the value of electronic card spending in retail industries increased 1.2 per cent in June .

All retail industries, apart from fuel, saw an increase in value over the month. Fuel retailing was down 3.6 per cent, after falling 4.5 per cent in May.

Core retail (which excludes the motor vehicle-related industries) increased 2.1 per cent in June 2011, with large rises in all industry types.

The durables industry, which includes furniture, hardware, and appliances, was up 2.4 per cent, while the consumables industry - which includes food, liquor, and chemist retailing, was up 1.4 per cent.

Statistics NZ said the trends for the value of transactions in the total and retail series have been increasing since January 2009, and the rate of increase had been strong in recent months.

-NZ HERALD ONLINE