XN000022-1986-12-03 — Page 25

-

23

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1986

WHEN COMPARED WITH AUGUST 1986, AND BEARING IN MIND THAT THIS COMPARISON IS AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, TOTAL RETAIL SALES FOR SEPTEMBER 1986 HAD AN INCREASE OF 1 PER CENT IN VALUE BUT ALMOST NO CHANGE IN VOLUME. RETAIL SALES OF CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS INCREASED BY 3 PER CENT IN VALUE AND THOSE OF +OTHER CONSUMER GOODS+ BY 2 PER CENT. BOTH RECORDED ALMOST NO CHANGE IN SALES VOLUME.

FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND CENT IN BOTH SALES VALUE AND VOLUME.

TOBACCO WENT UP BY 1 PER FUELS DROPPED BY 1 PER CENT

IN BOTH SALES VALUE AND VOLUME WHILE CONSUMER DURABLES DECREASED BY 3 PER CENT AND 4 PER CENT IN SALES VALUE AND VOLUME RESPECTIVELY. RETAIL SALES OF SUPERMARKETS HAD SLIGHT INCREASES IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME.

MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS REGISTERED ALMOST NO CHANGE IN SALES VALUE BUT A SLIGHT DROP IN SALES VOLUME, RETAIL SALES OF CONSUMER DURABLES OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS DECREASED SLIGHTLY IN VALUE AND VOLUME WHILE THOSE OF DEPARTMENT STORES DECREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IN BOTH.

TABLE 1 PRESENTS THE REVISED TOTAL RETAIL SALES FIGURE FOR AUGUST 1986 AND THE PROVISIONAL FIGURE FOR SEPTEMBER 1986.

TABLE 2 SHOWS THE VALUE AND VOLUME INDEXES OF RETAIL SALES IN AUGUST 1986 AND SEPTEMBER 1986 (A) FOR ALL RETAIL SALES, (B) BY MAJOR TRADE GROUPS AND (C) BY SELECTED TRADES (WHICH FORM PART OF THE RELEVANT MAJOR TRADE GROUPS), WITH AVERAGE RETAIL SALES FROM OCTOBER 1984 TO SEPTEMBER 1985 TAKEN AS 100.

COMPARISONS OF SEPTEMBER 1986 RESULTS WITH THOSE OF AUGUST 1986 AND WITH THOSE OF SEPTEMBER 1985 AND COMPARISONS OF RETAIL SALES IN THE THIRD QUARTER 1986 WITH THE SAME QUARTER IN 1985 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 OCTOBER 1984 TO AUGUST 1986.

THE REPORT CONTAINING THE ANALYSIS OF THE SEPTEMBER 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