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 December 2025 quarter compared with the September 2025 quarter, unless otherwise stated:
- total volume of seasonally adjusted retail sales was $26 billion, up 0.9 percent
- total value of seasonally adjusted retail sales was $32 billion, up 1.4 percent ($425 million)
- 12 of the 16 regions had higher seasonally adjusted sales values
- total value of actual retail sales was $34 billion, up 4.9 percent ($1.6 billion), compared with the December 2024 quarter
- total value of actual stock as at 31 December 2025 was $9.2 billion, down 0.3 percent ($31 million) compared with 31 December 2024.
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" |
| "Dec-2020" | "27977684000" | "25660083000" | "25687659000" |
| "Mar-2021" | "25426654000" | "26128816000" | "26275519000" |
| "Jun-2021" | "26511665000" | "27195791000" | "26559091000" |
| "Sep-2021" | "23802707000" | "24722453000" | "26742578000" |
| "Dec-2021" | "29199341000" | "26824214000" | "26773749000" |
| "Mar-2022" | "26007411000" | "26689151000" | "26938428000" |
| "Jun-2022" | "25535164000" | "26226784000" | "26665700000" |
| "Sep-2022" | "24969369000" | "25951214000" | "25815066000" |
| "Dec-2022" | "28026047000" | "25703020000" | "25650293000" |
| "Mar-2023" | "24939197000" | "25429700000" | "25450590000" |
| "Jun-2023" | "24630447000" | "25397903000" | "25354394000" |
| "Sep-2023" | "24113270000" | "25151757000" | "25105393000" |
| "Dec-2023" | "26874739000" | "24663052000" | "24816194000" |
| "Mar-2024" | "24335951000" | "24758562000" | "24662659000" |
| "Jun-2024" | "23742966000" | "24526404000" | "24570552000" |
| "Sep-2024" | "23511904000" | "24490970000" | "24552064000" |
| "Dec-2024" | "26949020000" | "24737840000" | "24721384000" |
| "Mar-2025" | "24499522000" | "24916665000" | "24899298000" |
| "Jun-2025" | "24300837000" | "25109163000" | "25166379000" |
| "Sep-2025" | "24577233000" | "25581587000" | "25519975000" |
| "Dec-2025" | "28122267000" | "25820965000" | "25863744000" |
Sales volumes up in December
Twelve of the 15 industries had higher seasonally adjusted sales volumes in the December 2025 quarter compared with the September 2025 quarter.
By industry, the largest movements were:
- pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing - up 5.2 percent
- motor vehicle and parts retailing - down 1.7 percent
- electrical and electronic goods retailing - up 2.2 percent
- supermarket and grocery stores - down 1.1 percent
- hardware, building, and garden supplies - up 2.2 percent.
| "Industry" | "Volume" | "Value" |
| "Pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing" | " 91664000" | " 85631000" |
| "Electrical and electronic goods retailing" | " 55870000" | " 41268000" |
| "Hardware | " 45874000" | " 43776000" |
| building | " 42521000" | " 70982000" |
| and garden supplies" | " 39671000" | " 49754000" |
| "Accommodation" | " 31062000" | " 58115000" |
| "Recreational goods retailing" | " 18505000" | " 60123000" |
| "Clothing | " 15265000" | " 30451000" |
| footwear | " 14972000" | " 19631000" |
| and personal accessories" | " 6259000" | " 11563000" |
| "Food and beverage services" | " 3160000" | " 3970000" |
| "Furniture | " 2436000" | " 77323000" |
| floor coverings | " -5933000" | "-21164000" |
| houseware | "-54276000" | "-42401000" |
| and textile goods" | "-67673000" | "-64212000" |
| "Liquor retailing" | ||
| "Specialised food retailing" | ||
| "Non-store and commission-based retailing" | ||
| "Fuel retailing" | ||
| "Department stores" | ||
| "Supermarket and grocery stores" | ||
| "Motor vehicle and parts retailing" |
Sales values up in December
Twelve of the 15 industries had higher seasonally adjusted sales values in the December 2025 quarter compared with the September 2025 quarter.
With price effects included, the largest industry movements were:
- pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing - up 3.8 percent ($86 million)
- fuel retailing - up 3.5 percent ($77 million)
- accommodation - up 5.1 percent ($71 million)
- motor vehicle and parts retailing - down 1.5 percent ($64 million)
- food and beverage services - up 1.5 percent ($60 million).
Regional sales values
Twelve of the 16 regions had higher seasonally adjusted sales values in the December 2025 quarter compared with the September 2025 quarter.
By region, the largest movements were:
- Auckland - up 1.8 percent ($215 million)
- Canterbury - up 3.1 percent ($128 million)
- Otago - up 2.6 percent ($48 million)
- Waikato - up 1.4 percent ($39 million)
- Hawke's Bay - up 3.2 percent ($30 million).
More regional figures are in tables 7, 8, and 9 of the Excel workbook 'Retail trade survey: December 2025 quarter', under Download data.
Stock values down
Stock figures were recorded as at 31 December 2025. All references to stocks are in actual dollars.
The total value of stock held at 31 December 2025 was $9.2 billion, down 0.3 percent ($31 million) compared with 31 December 2024.
By industry, the largest movements were:
- furniture, floor coverings, houseware, and textile goods - up 11 percent ($39 million)
- clothing, footwear, and personal accessories - down 4.9 percent ($39 million).
More data
Use Infoshare for retail trade tables:
Subject category: Industry sectors
Group: Retail trade (ANZSIC06) - RTT
Definitions and metadata
Retail trade survey - DataInfo+ provides general methodology used to produce retail trade survey statistics.
Retail trade survey concepts - DataInfo+ gives the definitions of terms used in this release.
Technical enquiries
Xiangyi Dong
[email protected]
04 931 4600
ISSN 1178-0355
Next release
Retail trade survey: March 2026 quarter will be released on 22 May 2026.
