Retail trade statistics measure the sales turnover and stock levels of a wide range of businesses that provide household and personal goods. Retailers include supermarkets, motor vehicle dealers, petrol stations, department stores, hardware retailers, cafes, restaurants, hotels, motels, and other store-based and non-store-based retailers. Statistics show quarterly sales of goods by industry and region.
Latest news
Kaikōura recovery by the numbers (published November 2017) is a short article that views the initial impact of the November 2016 earthquakes on the district, and subsequent effects, through the lens of statistics.
Information releases
Explore our latest retail trade statistics.
Retail Trade Survey
The quarterly retail trade survey release contains statistics on:
- retail sales value of goods by industry and region
- retail sales volume of goods by industry
- retail sales value of stock by industry.
Christchurch Retail Trade Indicator (ceased at the June 2016 quarter)
This quarterly release contains statistics on retail activity in Christchurch following the Canterbury earthquakes.
Related releases
Electronic Card Transactions
The electronic card transactions monthly release measures the number and value of electronic card transactions (including debit, eftpos, credit, and charge cards) with New Zealand-based merchants.
Data
Analyse the numbers.
Infoshare
Select the following categories from the Infoshare homepage for a time series of retail activity:
Subject category: Industry sectors
Groups: Retail Trade (ANZSIC06), Retail Trade Deflators (ANZSIC06), and Christchurch Retail Trade Indicator
Find out more about Infoshare.
Bulk CSV download for Christchurch retail trade indicator available here.
Bulk CSV download for Retail Trade Survey available here.
Reports and articles
Explore information we've gathered from research and analysis.
Methodology changes to the Retail Trade Survey
Describes changes to the methodology used in the Retail Trade Survey from the September 2017 quarter.
Kaikōura sales slide by a quarter after quake (published August 2017)
The 2016 Kaikōura earthquake choked off the summer rush of tourists, and caused spending in the town to fall 25 percent when compared with 2015.
Electronic Card Transaction series – revisions and new seasonal adjustment method (published April 2015)
Find out about revisions to previously published electronic card transaction data and the new seasonal adjustment tool for the Electronic Card Transaction series.
Changes to Retail Trade Survey seasonal adjustment (published 2014)
Find out about changes to Retail Trade Survey seasonal adjustment made from the September 2014 quarter data, and download a revised backseries.
Impact of the 22 February 2011 earthquake on the Retail Trade Survey (published 2011)
Explanation of the impact of the 2011 earthquake on the Retail Trade Survey and what has been done to account for this in the survey.
Implementing ANZSIC 2006 in the Retail Trade Survey: Revised (published 2010)
Report providing additional detail on the use of a new industrial classification for an important Statistics NZ economic survey.
Information about data
Get technical information such as survey design, a glossary of statistical terms, and a guide to interpreting the data.
Information about the Retail Trade Survey
Information about how we run the survey and how the information we gather is used.
Information for survey respondents
Frequently asked questions for survey respondents.