New Zealand’s retail activity falls by 1.2 pct

WELLINGTON, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — New Zealand’s total volume of retail sales fell 1.2 percent in the June 2024 quarter, which continues the downward trend observed in the last eight quarters, according to the statistics department Stats NZ on Friday.
Eleven of the 15 retail industries had lower sales volumes in the June 2024 quarter, compared with the March 2024 quarter, with the largest contributors to the fall in the retail activity being electrical and electronic goods retailing, which was down 6 percent, Stats NZ said.
Other contributors to the fall in retail activity include motor vehicle and parts retailing, food and beverage services, and clothing, footwear, and personal accessories, it said.
Retail sales decreased the most in the electrical and electronic goods industry and the motor vehicles and parts industry. By contrast, supermarket sales were up in the June quarter, Stats NZ business financial statistics manager Ricky Ho said.
The total volume of retail sales per person fell 1.5 percent in the June 2024 quarter compared with the March 2024 quarter, Ho said, adding that this is the 10th consecutive quarter to see a fall.
“Retail sale volumes per person have been falling for the last two-and-a-half years,” he said, adding that the last time for several quarters of consistent falls was between 2007 and 2009, which coincided with the global financial crisis. ■