New Zealand Retail Sales Way Above Expectations in Q3

2025-11-26 21:52 By Felipe Alarcon 1 min. read

Retail sales in New Zealand rose 1.9% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to September 2025, rising from a 0.5% increase in the June quarter but exceeding market expectations of a 0.6% gain.

Adjusted for price and seasonal effects, 8 of the 15 retail industries recorded higher sales volumes compared with the June 2025 quarter.

The largest contributions came from electrical and electronic goods, which jumped 9.8%, followed by motor vehicle and parts retailing at 7.2%, and food and beverage services at 1.6%.

On the other hand, supermarket and grocery stores, clothing, footwear and personal accessories, and fuel retailing posted the sharpest declines.

From a regional perspective, retail sales in the South Island increased by 1.7%, while sales in the North Island increased by 1.4%.

On an annual basis, total retail sales climbed 4.5% in Q3, accelerating from the 2.3% gain recorded in Q2.



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New Zealand Retail Sales Way Above Expectations in Q3
Retail sales in New Zealand rose 1.9% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to September 2025, rising from a 0.5% increase in the June quarter but exceeding market expectations of a 0.6% gain. Adjusted for price and seasonal effects, 8 of the 15 retail industries recorded higher sales volumes compared with the June 2025 quarter. The largest contributions came from electrical and electronic goods, which jumped 9.8%, followed by motor vehicle and parts retailing at 7.2%, and food and beverage services at 1.6%. On the other hand, supermarket and grocery stores, clothing, footwear and personal accessories, and fuel retailing posted the sharpest declines. From a regional perspective, retail sales in the South Island increased by 1.7%, while sales in the North Island increased by 1.4%. On an annual basis, total retail sales climbed 4.5% in Q3, accelerating from the 2.3% gain recorded in Q2.
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