Higher fuel prices lifting spending even as underlying demand remained subdued.
12:47 pm today
Retail activity rose again in the March quarter, with higher fuel prices lifting spending even as underlying demand remained subdued.
Stats NZ figures show the volume of retail sales increased 0.9 percent in the March quarter compared with the previous three months, matching the rate of growth in the December 2025 quarter.
The figures are adjusted for price inflation and seasonal effects.
Growth was broad-based, with 10 of the 15 retail industries posting higher sales volumes.
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