The total volume of actual retail sales fell 4.1 percent in the March 2023 quarter, compared with the March 2022 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. This followed a 4.0 percent fall in the December 2022 quarter, compared with the December 2021 quarter.
“Decreased volumes in hardware and vehicle retailing helped drive a fall in total retail sales in the March 2023 quarter, compared with the March 2022 quarter,” business financial statistics manager Melissa McKenzie said.
Some of the biggest changes in retail sales volumes between the March 2022 and March 2023 quarters were:
- hardware, building, and garden supplies – down 13 percent
- food and beverage services – up 14 percent
- motor vehicles and parts – down 7.5 percent
- accommodation – up 19 percent.
| “Hardware | Motor vehicle and parts retailing | Accommodation | Food and beverage services | |
| Mar-18 | building | 3306307000 | 965354000 | 2498706000 |
| Jun-18 | and garden supplies” | 3400236000 | 752118000 | 2448978000 |
| Sep-18 | 1845108000 | 3389070000 | 750424000 | 2356044000 |
| Dec-18 | 1938102000 | 3296265000 | 904137000 | 2696847000 |
| Mar-19 | 1974853000 | 3355132000 | 953142000 | 2525401000 |
| Jun-19 | 2168522000 | 3412396000 | 755822000 | 2462338000 |
| Sep-19 | 1934995000 | 3486883000 | 729521000 | 2464504000 |
| Dec-19 | 1981935000 | 3471331000 | 879656000 | 2721404000 |
| Mar-20 | 2043460000 | 3186401000 | 894093000 | 2379849000 |
| Jun-20 | 2226464000 | 2663121000 | 449411000 | 1418048000 |
| Sep-20 | 2009572000 | 3960673000 | 666840000 | 2312665000 |
| Dec-20 | 1632980000 | 3791979000 | 757364000 | 2628070000 |
| Mar-21 | 2328733000 | 3803118000 | 859533000 | 2424907000 |
| Jun-21 | 2552458000 | 4033030000 | 795957000 | 2604173000 |
| Sep-21 | 2311172000 | 3583503000 | 677082000 | 2055442000 |
| Dec-21 | 2429277000 | 4159762000 | 645949000 | 2447430000 |
| Mar-22 | 2095103000 | 3928602000 | 753849000 | 2276576000 |
| Jun-22 | 2950346000 | 3664815000 | 741505000 | 2523557000 |
| Sep-22 | 2510990000 | 3706724000 | 741931000 | 2667247000 |
| Dec-22 | 2458910000 | 3729631000 | 828358000 | 2787395000 |
| Mar-23 | 2369465000 | 3634873000 | 898199000 | 2595179000 |
After seasonal patterns were removed, as well as price effects, total retail sales volumes fell 1.4 percent in the March 2023 quarter compared with the December 2022 quarter. This followed a 1.0 percent decrease in the December 2022 quarter.
Seasonally adjusted series are subject to revision as more data is collected in future periods, and as we better understand how seasonal patterns have evolved since COVID-19 impacts first started.
| “” | “Actual “ | “Seasonally adjusted” |
| “Mar-2018” | “22552229000” | “22965593000” |
| “Jun-2018” | “22534192000” | “23193782000” |
| “Sep-2018” | “22219692000” | “23261555000” |
| “Dec-2018” | “25855443000” | “23701876000” |
| “Mar-2019” | “23307559000” | “23885601000” |
| “Jun-2019” | “23185489000” | “23814975000” |
| “Sep-2019” | “23220654000” | “24210162000” |
| “Dec-2019” | “26709078000” | “24517117000” |
| “Mar-2020” | “23853477000” | “24176731000” |
| “Jun-2020” | “19925762000” | “20438696000” |
| “Sep-2020” | “25092233000” | “26082078000” |
| “Dec-2020” | “27977684000” | “25618355000” |
| “Mar-2021” | “25426654000” | “26248615000” |
| “Jun-2021” | “26511665000” | “27070770000” |
| “Sep-2021” | “23802707000” | “24774194000” |
| “Dec-2021” | “29199341000” | “26953270000” |
| “Mar-2022” | “26007411000” | “26664760000” |
| “Jun-2022” | “25535164000” | “26034823000” |
| “Sep-2022” | “24969369000” | “26158969000” |
| “Dec-2022” | “28026047000” | “25896690000” |
| “Mar-2023” | “24939197000” | “25545281000” |
