The retail trade survey measures the sales and stock of businesses that provide household and personal goods and services – for example car yards, petrol stations, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants, and hotels.
23 February 2024: We have enhanced the seasonal adjustment methodology for the Retail trade survey and resumed publication of trend series. This impacts seasonally adjusted data for quarters back to the September 2017 quarter.
See Update to seasonal adjustment methodology for the Retail Trade Survey for more information.
Key facts
For the December 2023 quarter compared with the September 2023 quarter, unless otherwise stated:
- total volume of seasonally adjusted retail sales was $25 billion, down 1.9 percent
- total value of seasonally adjusted retail sales was $30 billion, down 1.5 percent ($459 million)
- 10 of the 16 regions had lower seasonally adjusted sales values
- total value of actual retail sales was $33 billion, down 0.4 percent ($120 million), compared with the December 2022 quarter
- total value of actual stock as at 31 December 2023 was $9.4 billion, down 4.1 percent ($401 million) compared with 31 December 2022.
Actual values are in current prices and not adjusted for inflation or price effects. Seasonally adjusted values have had typical seasonal patterns removed. Volumes have had price changes removed and are expressed in September 2010 quarter prices.
| Quarter | Actual | Seasonally adjusted | Trend |
| Dec-18 | 25855443000 | 23636948000 | 23527360000 |
| Mar-19 | 23307559000 | 23761950000 | 23738924000 |
| Jun-19 | 23185489000 | 23893290000 | 23956461000 |
| Sep-19 | 23220654000 | 24303463000 | 24263053000 |
| Dec-19 | 26709078000 | 24417434000 | 24386709000 |
| Mar-20 | 23853477000 | 24351175000 | 24519085000 |
| Jun-20 | 19925762000 | 20477440000 | 24550138000 |
| Sep-20 | 25092233000 | 26123294000 | 25331820000 |
| Dec-20 | 27977684000 | 25657594000 | 25687963000 |
| Mar-21 | 25426654000 | 26143032000 | 26292843000 |
| Jun-21 | 26511665000 | 27179481000 | 26573352000 |
| Sep-21 | 23802707000 | 24728651000 | 26744242000 |
| Dec-21 | 29199341000 | 26819239000 | 26769489000 |
| Mar-22 | 26007411000 | 26722698000 | 26942615000 |
| Jun-22 | 25535164000 | 26189751000 | 26704582000 |
| Sep-22 | 24969369000 | 25954733000 | 25867269000 |
| Dec-22 | 28026047000 | 25700845000 | 25694677000 |
| Mar-23 | 24939197000 | 25488596000 | 25506120000 |
| Jun-23 | 24630447000 | 25343291000 | 25402212000 |
| Sep-23 | 24113270000 | 25151009000 | 25111368000 |
| Dec-23 | 26874739000 | 24662778000 | 24702236000 |
Sales volumes down in December
Fourteen of the 15 industries had lower seasonally adjusted sales volumes in the December 2023 quarter compared with the September 2023 quarter.
By industry, the largest movements were:
- motor vehicle and parts retailing – down 2.5 percent
- food and beverage services – down 2.4 percent
- fuel retailing – down 3.6 percent
- clothing, footwear, and personal accessories – down 4.0 percent
- recreational goods retailing – down 6.2 percent.
| “Industry (ANZSIC06)” | “$” |
| “Pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing” | ” 5436000″ |
| “Liquor retailing” | ” -1194000″ |
| “Non-store and commission-based retailing” | ” -7722000″ |
| “Electrical and electronic goods retailing” | ” -9686000″ |
| “Furniture | “-12002000” |
| floor coverings | “-13211000” |
| houseware | “-24631000” |
| and textile goods” | “-36701000” |
| “Specialised food retailing” | “-40978000” |
| “Supermarket and grocery stores” | “-44473000” |
| “Department stores” | “-47116000” |
| “Accommodation” | “-48446000” |
| “Hardware | “-54699000” |
| building | “-62273000” |
| and garden supplies” | “-90536000” |
| “Recreational goods retailing” | |
| “Clothing | |
| footwear | |
| and personal accessories” | |
| “Fuel retailing” | |
| “Food and beverage services” | |
| “Motor vehicle and parts retailing” |
Sales values down in December
Twelve of the 15 industries had lower seasonally adjusted sales values in the December 2023 quarter compared with the September 2023 quarter.
With price effects included, the largest industry movements were:
- motor vehicle and parts retailing – down 3.5 percent ($142 million)
- accommodation – down 4.8 percent ($67 million)
- food and beverage services – down 1.4 percent ($57 million)
- hardware, building, and garden supplies – down 2.0 percent ($56 million)
- recreational goods retailing – down 6.1 percent ($50 million).
| “Industry (ANZSIC06)” | “$” |
| “Fuel retailing” | ” 31808000″ |
| “Liquor retailing” | ” 9933000″ |
| “Supermarket and grocery stores” | ” 1592000″ |
| “Pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing” | ” -68000″ |
| “Non-store and commission-based retailing” | ” -8602000″ |
| “Furniture | ” -10040000″ |
| floor coverings | ” -11336000″ |
| houseware | ” -21862000″ |
| and textile goods” | ” -37340000″ |
| “Specialised food retailing” | ” -42016000″ |
| “Electrical and electronic goods retailing” | ” -49704000″ |
| “Department stores” | ” -56215000″ |
| “Clothing | ” -56648000″ |
| footwear | ” -67296000″ |
| and personal accessories” | “-141501000” |
| “Recreational goods retailing” | |
| “Hardware | |
| building | |
| and garden supplies” | |
| “Food and beverage services” | |
| “Accommodation” | |
| “Motor vehicle and parts retailing” |
Regional sales values
Ten of the 16 regions had lower seasonally adjusted sales values in the December 2023 quarter compared with the September 2023 quarter.
By region, the largest movements were:
- Auckland – down 1.2 percent ($144 million)
- Wellington – down 1.5 percent ($40 million)
- Hawke’s Bay – down 3.0 percent ($29 million)
- Canterbury – down 0.6 percent ($22 million)
- Otago – up 1.1 percent ($18 million).
Tables 7, 8, and 9 in the Excel file ‘Retail trade survey: December 2023 quarter’ under Download data have more regional figures.
Stock values down
Stock figures were recorded as at 31 December 2023. All references to stocks are in actual dollars.
The total value of stock held at 31 December 2023 was $9.4 billion, down 4.1 percent ($401 million) compared with 31 December 2022.
By industry, the largest movements were:
- hardware, building, and garden supplies, down 9.5 percent ($155 million)
- department stores, down 5.1 percent ($64 million).
More data
Use Infoshare for retail trade tables:
Subject category: Industry sectors
Group: Retail trade (ANZSIC06) – RTT
Definitions and metadata
Retail trade survey – DataInfo+ provides general methodology used to produce retail trade survey statistics.
Retail trade survey concepts – DataInfo+ gives the definitions of terms used in this release.
Technical enquiries
Kathy Hicks
03 964 8351
[email protected]
ISSN 1178-0355
Next release
Retail trade survey: March 2024 quarter will be released on 23 May 2024.
