Retail sales growth eased in the June 2015 quarter after big gains in recent quarters, Statistics New Zealand said today.

The total sales value was $18.9 billion in the June 2015 quarter, 4.1 per cent or $749 million more than in the June 2014 quarter. This follows a 5.1 per cent or $932 million increase in the March 2015 quarter.

After removing the effect of price changes, the total retail sales volume rose 5.9 per cent in the June quarter when compared with the same quarter last year.

When adjusting for seasonal effects, the volume of total retail sales rose just 0.1 per cent for the June 2015 quarter. This modest increase follows larger rises of 2.3 per cent in the March 2015 quarter, and 2.1 per cent in the December 2014 quarter.

“Although just over half the industries had sales volume increases this quarter, they were modest in size compared with growth in recent quarters,” business indicators manager, Neil Kelly, said.

The largest seasonally adjusted sales volume increase was in nonstore and commission-based retailing, up 8.1 per cent. This industry includes businesses that are mainly engaged in selling online without a shopfront or physical shop presence. The largest sales volume decrease was in fuel retailing, down 0.9
per cent.

When the effect of price changes is included, the seasonally adjusted total value of retail sales rose 0.1 per cent or $25 million. This follows a 1.5 per cent or $294 million increase in the March 2015 quarter.

Looking at the longer-term picture, the trends for both total retail sales volumes and values have generally been rising since mid-2009.