XN000022-1987-03-31 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1987

RETAIL SALES OF SUPERMARKETS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME. +MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS+ AND +CONSUMER DURABLES OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS+ RECORDED MODERATE AND SLIGHT INCREASES RESPECTIVELY IN BOTH SALES VALUE AND VOLUME. DEPARTMENT STORES EXPERIENCED SLIGHT DECREASES IN BOTH SALES VALUE AND VOLUME.

TABLE 1 PRESENTS THE REVISED TOTAL RETAIL SALES FIGURE FOR DECEMBER 1996 AND THE PROVISIONAL FIPURE FOR JANUARY 1987.

TABLE 2 SHOWS THE VALUE AND VOLUME INDEXES OF RETAIL SALES IN DECEMBER 1986 AND JANUARY 1987 (A) FOR ALL RETAIL TRADES, (B) BY MAJOR TRADE GROUPS AND (C) BY SELECTED TRADES (WHICH FROM PART OF THE RELEVANT MAJOR TRADE GROUPS), EITH AVERAGE RETAIL SALES FROM OCTOBER 1984 TO SEPTEMBER 1985 TAKEN AS 100.

COMPARISONS OF JANUARY 1987 RESULTS WITH THOSE FOR DECEMBER 1986 AND WITH THOSE FOR JANUARY 1986 AND COMPARISONS OF RETAIL SALES IN THE THREE MONTHS NOVEMBER 1986-JANUARY 1987 WITH THOSE IN THE SAME PERIOD A YEAR EARLIER ARE ALSO GIVEN.

GRAPHS 1 AND 2 DEPICT, RESPECTIVELY, THE MOVEMENTS OF THE VALUE AND VOLUME INDEXES OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES FROM OCTOBER 1984 TO JANUARY 1987 AND THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED INDEXES AND TRENDS FROM OCTOBER 1984 TO DECEMBER 1986.

THE REPORT CONTAINING THE ANALYSIS OF THE JANUARY 1987 SURVEY RESULTS IS 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 DEPARTMENT'S WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE STATISTICS SECTION ON 5-8234941.

TABLE 1