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THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1989

FIELD WORKERS OF THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTACT INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES TO PROVIDE ANY NECESSARY ASSISTANCE REQUIRED THE QUESTIONNAIRE.

IN COMPLETING

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE INFORMATION OBTAINED IN THE SURVEY WILL BE TREATED IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE AND RESTRICTED FOR ITS OWN USE.

THE SURVEY REPORT, WHICH IS EXPECTED то BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER THIS YEAR, WILL BE PREPARED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE, SPOKESMAN ADDED.

THE REPORT ON THE 1988 SURVEY WAS PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER YEAR AND CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT ON REQUEST.

THE

LAST

PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF RETAIL SALES SURVEY FOR MARCH RELEASED

THE VALUE OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN MARCH 1989. ESTIMATED $8,593 MILLION, INCREASED BY 9 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH MARCH WHILST THEIR VOLUME INCREASED BY ONLY 1 PER CENT.

AT

1988

COMPARING

THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1989 WITH THE SAME QUARTER 1988, TOTAL RETAIL SALES INCREASED BY 16 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 7 CENT IN VOLUME.

IN

PER

THE

OF THESE PROVISIONAL RESULTS ARE DESCRIBED IN THE REPORT MONTHLY SURVEY OF RETAIL SALES RELEASED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

J

AS

FOR A SPOKEMAN

THE DEPARTMENT COMMENTED THAT THE SLUGGISH PERFORMANCE OF RETAIL SALES IN BOTH FEBRUARY AND MARCH HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE SLOWER GROWTH IN RETAIL SALES FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1989

WHOLE, WHICH REPRESENTED A SIGNIFICANT MODERATION FROM RATES EXPERIENCED IN THE PREVIOUS FOUR QUARTERS. SIGNS THAT CONSUMER SPENDING WAS MODERATING.

COMPARING MARCH 1989 WITH MARCH

1988,

THUS

THE GROWTH THERE WERE

OF RETAIL SALES 1989 INCREASED BY FOR FUELS

FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO IN MARCH 13 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 3 PER CENT IN VOLUME WHILST THOSE ROSE BY 8 PER CENT IN VALUE AND 4 PER CENT IN VOLUME.

OF

CLOTHING,

22

ON

SAME BASIS OF COMPARISON, THE

RETAIL SALES FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS INCREASED BY 36 PER CENT IN VALUE AND PER CENT IN

DURABLES VOLUME. HOWEVER,

HOWEVER, RETAIL SALES OF CONSUMER

VOLUME. INCREASED BY 1 PER CENT IN VALUE BUT DROPPED BY 4 PER CENT IN RETAIL SALES OF OTHER CONSUMER GOODS ROSE BY 5 PER CENT IN VALUE DROPPED BY 2 PER CENT IN VOLUME.

BUT

/ANALYSED BY

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