XN000022-1983-03-02 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1983

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SURVEY OF RETAIL SALES FOR DECEMBER 1982

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THE VALUE OF RETAIL SALES FOR THE RETAIL TRADE SECTOR IN DECEMBER 1982 WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $4 734 MILLION, ACCORDING TO THE PROVISIONAL SURVEY RESULTS,

AT 139, THE OVERALL RETAIL SALES VALUE INDEX FOR DECEMBER 1982 ROSE BY SEVEN POINTS OR FIVE PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH NOVEMBER 1982, AND BY TWO POINTS OR ONE PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH DECEMBER 1981.

THE OVERALL RETAIL SALES VOLUME INDEX FOR DECEMBER 1982, AT 111, WAS FIVE POINTS OR FIVE PER CENT HIGHER THAN THAT FOR NOVEMBER 1982, BUT IT WAS EIGHT POINTS OR SEVEN PER CENT LOWER THAN THAT FOR DECEMBER 1981.

COMPARED WITH NOVEMBER 1982, THE RETAIL SALES FOR MOST MAJOR TRADE GROUPS AND SELECTED TRADES INCREASED IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WAS FOUND IN DEPARTMENT STORES WHERE THE RETAIL SALES INCREASED BY 30 PER CENT IN VALUE TERMS AND 28 PER CENT IN VOLUME TERMS.

RETAIL SALES OF SUPERMARKETS INCREASED BY 12 PER CENT IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS AND THOSE OF CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS INCREASED BY NINE PER CENT IN VALUE TERMS AND 12 PER CENT IN VOLUME TERMS.

THE VOLUME OF RETAIL SALES OF FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO, CONSUMER GOODS, AND FUELS ALSO INCREASED BY NINE PER CENT, FIVE PER CENT AND FOUR PER CENT RESPECTIVELY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, RETAIL SALES OF MOTOR VEHICLES DECREASED BY 11 PER CENT IN VALUE TERMS AND 13 PER CENT IN VOLUME TERMS.

THE CORRESPONDING