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.
Key facts
For the March 2024 quarter compared with the December 2023 quarter, unless otherwise stated:
- total volume of seasonally adjusted retail sales was $25 billion, up 0.5 percent
- total value of seasonally adjusted retail sales was $30 billion, up 0.7 percent ($197 million)
- 13 of the 16 regions had higher seasonally adjusted sales values
- total value of actual retail sales was $30 billion, up 0.6 percent ($193 million), compared with the March 2023 quarter
- total value of actual stock as at 31 March 2024 was $9.4 billion, down 3.7 percent ($357 million) compared with 31 March 2023.
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 |
| Mar-19 | 23307559000 | 23756296000 | 23737261000 |
| Jun-19 | 23185489000 | 23892375000 | 23953463000 |
| Sep-19 | 23220654000 | 24303179000 | 24261889000 |
| Dec-19 | 26709078000 | 24423769000 | 24400678000 |
| Mar-20 | 23853477000 | 24346804000 | 24540092000 |
| Jun-20 | 19925762000 | 20476094000 | 24560022000 |
| Sep-20 | 25092233000 | 26121466000 | 25332633000 |
| Dec-20 | 27977684000 | 25666591000 | 25692098000 |
| Mar-21 | 25426654000 | 26136996000 | 26287757000 |
| Jun-21 | 26511665000 | 27176458000 | 26566038000 |
| Sep-21 | 23802707000 | 24724724000 | 26745880000 |
| Dec-21 | 29199341000 | 26833107000 | 26774278000 |
| Mar-22 | 26007411000 | 26711449000 | 26949849000 |
| Jun-22 | 25535164000 | 26189116000 | 26671682000 |
| Sep-22 | 24969369000 | 25948887000 | 25826044000 |
| Dec-22 | 28026047000 | 25719524000 | 25661293000 |
| Mar-23 | 24939197000 | 25467420000 | 25483014000 |
| Jun-23 | 24630447000 | 25345024000 | 25374657000 |
| Sep-23 | 24113270000 | 25145033000 | 25091199000 |
| Dec-23 | 26874739000 | 24681368000 | 24819141000 |
| Mar-24 | 24335951000 | 24810517000 | 24701697000 |
Sales volumes up in March
Nine of the 15 industries had higher seasonally adjusted sales volumes in the March 2024 quarter compared with the December 2023 quarter.
By industry, the largest movements were:
- hardware, building, and garden supplies – down 2.8 percent
- food and beverage services – up 2.2 percent
- motor vehicle and parts retailing – up 1.1 percent
- recreational goods retailing – up 4.7 percent
- accommodation – up 4.1 percent.
| Industry | Volume | Value |
| Food and beverage services | 56446000 | 133127000 |
| Motor vehicle and parts retailing | 37953000 | -13114000 |
| Recreational goods retailing | 33817000 | 39247000 |
| Accommodation | 32745000 | 52857000 |
| “Clothing | 28673000 | 44885000 |
| footwear | 27696000 | 54261000 |
| and personal accessories” | 12376000 | -28259000 |
| Supermarket and grocery stores | 9250000 | 10159000 |
| Fuel retailing | 8549000 | -1558000 |
| Non-store and commission-based retailing | -405000 | 4461000 |
| Electrical and electronic goods retailing | -7096000 | -18601000 |
| Liquor retailing | -7107000 | -14823000 |
| Specialised food retailing | -16765000 | 27853000 |
| “Furniture | -28728000 | -22546000 |
| floor coverings | -58254000 | -71305000 |
| houseware | ||
| and textile goods” | ||
| Pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing | ||
| Department stores | ||
| “Hardware | ||
| building | ||
| and garden supplies” |
Sales values up in March
Eight of the 15 industries had higher seasonally adjusted sales values in the March 2024 quarter compared with the December 2023 quarter.
With price effects included, the largest industry movements were:
- food and beverage services – up 3.4 percent ($133 million)
- hardware, building, and garden supplies – down 2.6 percent ($71 million)
- supermarket and grocery stores – up 0.8 percent ($54 million)
- accommodation – up 4.0 percent ($53 million)
- clothing, footwear, and personal accessories – up 3.6 percent ($45 million).
Regional sales values
Thirteen of the 16 regions had higher seasonally adjusted sales values in the March 2024 quarter compared with the December 2023 quarter.
By region, the largest movements were:
- Canterbury – up 3.7 percent ($147 million)
- Otago – up 3.4 percent ($56 million)
- Waikato – up 1.6 percent ($44 million)
- Southland – up 4.3 percent ($24 million)
- Bay of Plenty – up 1.2 percent ($22 million).
Tables 7, 8, and 9 in the Excel workbook ‘Retail trade survey: March 2024 quarter’ under have more regional figures.
Stock values down
Stock figures were recorded as at 31 March 2024. All references to stocks are in actual dollars.
The total value of stock held at 31 March 2024 was $9.4 billion, down 3.7 percent ($357 million) compared with 31 March 2023.
By industry, the largest movements were:
- hardware, building, and garden supplies, down 7.7 percent ($122 million)
- department stores, down 7.5 percent ($98 million).
More data
Use for retail trade tables:
Subject category: Industry sectors
Group: Retail trade (ANZSIC06) – RTT
Definitions and metadata
provides general methodology used to produce retail trade survey statistics.
gives the definitions of terms used in this release.
Technical enquiries
Rudy Rupp
ISSN 1178-0355
Next release
Retail trade survey: June 2024 quarter will be released on 23 August 2024.
