Retail sales on cards flat

Retail sales using electronic cards remained weak in February, according to Statistics New Zealand figures.

The seasonally adjusted values of core retail, retail, and total transactions were all down slightly in February 2010 for electronic cards such as eftpos, Statistics New Zealand said.

Core retail spending, excluding car-related sectors, was flat, down just 0.2 per cent compared with January 2010. This decrease reflected flat or falling sales in all the core retail industries, except day to day products such as food, alcohol and chemist store products.

Core retail including car related sectors also fell 0.2 per cent in January 2010.

Transactions in the retail industries were down 0.4 per cent in February 2010.

 Fuel retailing declined 1.3 per cent after being the main contributor to increases in the retail series from August 2009 to January 2010.

When the non-retail industries are included, the total value of transactions was down 0.3 per cent.

The non-retail industries such as travel and health were down 1.3 per cent in February 2010.

- © Fairfax NZ News