THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1986
RETAIL
WHEN COMPARED WITH APRIL 1986, AND BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS COMPARISON IS AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, TOTAL RETAIL SALES FOR MAY 1986 ROSE BY 3 PER CENT IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS. SALES OF CONSUMER DURABLES INCREASED BY 7 PER CENT AND 6 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY IN VALUE AND VOLUME. THE CORRESPONDING INCREASES FOR CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS WERE 5 PER CENT AND 4 PER CENT.
+OTHER CONSUMER GOODS+ WENT UP BY 3 PER CENT IN BOTH SALES VALUE AND VOLUME WHILE FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO RECORDED NEGLIGIBLE CHANGES IN SALES VALUE AND VOLUME. RETAIL SALES OF FUELS FELL BY 3 PER CENT IN VALUE BUT ROSE BY 2 PER CENT IN VOLUME.
ANALYSED BY SELECTED TRADES, RETAIL SALES OF CONSUMER DURABLES, OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS, SHOWED MODERATE INCREASES IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS.
MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS SHOWED A MODERATE INCREASE IN SALES VALUE AND A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SALES VOLUME. SUPERMARKETS
HAD SLIGHT INCREASES IN BOTH SALES VALUE AND VOLUME WHILE DEPARTMENT STORES HAD ALMOST NO CHANGE IN EITHER.
TWO TABLES AND TWO GRAPHS WILL BE SENT BY FACSIMILE NETWORK
AND ALSO BOXED FOR COLLECTION.
TABLE 1 PRESENTS THE REVISED TOTAL RETAIL SALES FIGURE FOR APRIL 1986 AND THE PROVISIONAL FIGURE FOR MAY 1986.
TABLE 2 SHOWS THE VALUE AND VOLUME INDEXES OF RETAIL SALES IN APRIL 1986 AND MAY 1986 A) FOR ALL RETAIL TRADES, B) BY MAJOR TRADE GROUPS AND C) BY SELECTED TRADES (WHICH FORM PART OF THE RELEVANT MAJOR TRADE GROUPS), WITH AVERAGE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES IN 1980 TAKEN AS 100.
COMPARISONS OF MAY 1986 RESULTS WITH THOSE OF APRIL 1986 AND WITH THOSE OF MAY 1985 AND COMPARISONS OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN THE THREE-MONTH PERIOD MARCH-MAY 1986 WITH THOSE IN THE SAME PERIOD 12 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY ARE ALSO GIVEN.
GRAPHS 1 AND 2 DEPICT RESPECTIVELY THE MOVEMENTS OF THE VALUE AND VOLUME INDEXES OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES, INCLUDING THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED INDEXES AND TRENDS, FROM JANUARY 1983 TO APRIL 1986.
THE REPORT CONTAINING THE ANALYSIS OF THE MAY 1986 SURVEY RESULTS IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATION SALES CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, AT $1 PER COPY.
ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ON 3-7216024.
TABLE 1: