Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Retail activity up in the March 2025 quarter – 23 May 2025 – The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand increased by 0.8 percent in the March 2025 quarter compared with the December 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. Figures are adjusted for price inflation and seasonal effects.

“Growth in retail activity was modest in the March quarter, with the majority of industries contributing positively,” economic indicators spokesperson Michelle Feyen said.

“Motor vehicle retailing, and pharmaceutical and other store-based retailing saw the largest increases this quarter.”

Ten of the 15 retail industries had higher retail sales volumes in the March 2025 quarter, compared with the December 2024 quarter, after adjusting for price and seasonal effects.

Files:

• Retail activity up in the March 2025 quarter
• Retail trade survey: March 2025 quarter
• CSV files for download

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Primary sector growth feeds trade surplus – 21 May 2025 – New Zealand’s merchandise trade surplus in April 2025 was $1.4 billion, compared with a deficit of $12 million in April 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

“New Zealand has had only four monthly surpluses over $1 billion. The last two were in 2020 and two out of the four were also in April months,” international accounts spokesperson Viki Ward said.

“The overlap of the dairy and fruit industry seasons contributed to this high.”

The goods surplus is calculated by subtracting the value of goods imports from the value of goods exports. New Zealand imported $6.4 billion and exported $7.8 billion of goods in April 2025.

Files:

• Primary sector growth feeds trade surplus
• Overseas merchandise trade: April 2025
• Overseas merchandise trade datasets

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Disability and activity limitations: 2023 Census – 20 May 2025 – Disability and activity limitations: 2023 Census provides information through the release of 52 new Aotearoa Data Explorer tables and a report Using data from the Household Disability Survey and the 2023 Census.

Disability and activity limitation statistics provide important insights about disabled people living in New Zealand. These statistics and insights are used by government agencies, service providers, and community groups to monitor the outcomes of disabled people compared with non-disabled people and to support the development of accessible services.

Activity limitations are measured in the census using the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning (WGSS). The WGSS asks about six basic activities that a person might have difficulty with: seeing, hearing, walking or climbing stairs, remembering or concentrating, washing all over or dressing, and communicating. A person can have more than one activity limitation and will be counted for each limitation they give as a response.

Files:

• Disability and activity limitations: 2023 Census
• Using data from the Household Disability Survey and the 2023 Census

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Business price indexes: March 2025 quarter – 19 May 2025 – Business price indexes (BPI) includes the producers price index (PPI), capital goods price index (CGPI), and farm expenses price index (FEPI).

Key facts
In the March 2025 quarter compared with the December 2024 quarter:

• the output producers price index (PPI) rose 2.1 percent
• the input PPI rose 2.9 percent
• the farm expenses price index (FEPI) rose 0.4 percent
• the capital goods price index (CGPI) rose 0.5 percent.

Files:

• Business price indexes: March 2025 quarter
• CSV files for download

 

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Māori population estimates: Mean year ended 31 December 2024 (2023-base) – 16 May 2025 – Māori population estimates give the best available measure of the Māori ethnic population, by age and sex, usually living in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This release contains the provisional estimate of the national Māori ethnic population for the mean year ended 31 December 2024 and includes an update to the provisional Māori ethnic population as at 30 June 2024.

With the release of Estimated resident population (2023-base): At 30 June 2023 on 16 April 2025, we revised population estimates between 30 June 2018 and 30 June 2023, and rebased population estimates after 30 June 2023. These revisions also apply to these national-level Māori ethnic population estimates. This is the usual revision that occurs after new census and post-enumeration survey results are available. 

Key facts 
For the mean year ended 31 December 2024:

• New Zealand’s estimated Māori ethnic population was 922,800
• an estimated 463,600 females and 459,200 males identified as Māori.

For more:

• Māori population estimates: Mean year ended 31 December 2024 (2023-base)

 

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Productivity statistics: 1978-2024 – 16 May 2025 – Productivity is a measure of how efficiently capital and labour are used within the economy to produce outputs of goods and services. A higher productivity rate means a nation can either produce a higher level of goods and services with the same level of inputs or produce the same level of goods and services with a lower level of inputs. Labour productivity primarily takes the hours people work into account, whereas capital productivity only takes capital inputs, such as land, machinery, and equipment, into account.

Key facts

Key aggregates for the measured sector
The measured sector represents the industries where we can measure output independently from input, allowing us to measure productivity. It includes most of the economy but excludes some industries, mainly non-market industries such as public administration and safety; education and training; health care and social assistance; and arts, recreation, and other services.

For the measured sector, in the year ended March 2024:

• labour productivity fell 0.7 percent
• multifactor productivity fell 0.9 percent
• capital productivity fell 1.3 percent.

Files:

• Productivity statistics: 1978–2024
• CSV files for download

 

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Food prices increase 3.7 percent annually – 15 May 2025 – Food prices increased 3.7 percent in the 12 months to April 2025, following a 3.5 percent increase in the 12 months to March 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

Higher prices for the grocery food group and the non-alcoholic beverages group contributed most to the annual increase in food prices, up 5.2 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively.

“Price increases were widespread, with all five food groups recording an increase,” prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

The fruit and vegetables group increased in price for the first time since January 2024, with prices up 0.2 percent in the 12 months to April 2025.

Files:

• Food prices increase 3.7 percent annually
• Selected price indexes: April 2025
• CSV files for download

Source: Statistics New Zealand

National population estimates: At 31 March 2025 (2023-base) – 15 May 2025 – National population estimates give the best available measure of the population, by age and sex, usually living in Aotearoa New Zealand.

With the release of Estimated resident population (2023-base): At 30 June 2023 on 16 April 2025, we revised population estimates between 30 June 2018 and 30 June 2023, and rebased population estimates after 30 June 2023. This is the usual revision that occurs after new census and post-enumeration survey results are available.  

Estimated resident population 2023: Data sources and methods has more information. 

All population estimates from 30 June 2023 are now 2023-base.  

Key facts
At 31 March 2025:

• the estimated resident population of Aotearoa New Zealand was 5,330,600 (provisionally)
• there were 2,680,100 females and 2,650,500 males
• the median age of females and males was 38.9 and 37.3 years respectively.

Files:

• National population estimates: At 31 March 2025 (2023-base)

 

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Births and deaths: Year ended March 2025 – 15 May 2025 – Births and deaths releases provide statistics on the number of births and deaths of people resident in New Zealand that are registered during a given period, along with selected fertility and mortality rates. They may differ from statistics presented elsewhere that relate to all births and deaths registered in New Zealand or to births and deaths occurring during a given period.

Key facts
In the year ended March 2025 compared with the year ended March 2024:

• there were 58,539 live births registered, up from 56,277
• there were 37,647 deaths registered, little changed from 37,623
• the total fertility rate was 1.58 births per woman, up from 1.54
• the infant mortality rate was 6.0 deaths per 1,000 live births, up from 3.8 per 1,000 (the increase is a result of a high number of late registrations during this period, see Births and deaths: Year ended December 2024 (including abridged period life table)).

Files:

• Births and deaths: Year ended March 2025

 

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Electronic card transactions: April 2025 – 14 May 2025 – The electronic card transactions (ECT) series cover debit, credit, and charge card transactions with New Zealand-based merchants. The series can be used to indicate changes in consumer spending and economic activity.

Key facts
All figures are seasonally adjusted unless otherwise specified.

Values are at the national level and are not adjusted for price changes.

April 2025 month
Changes in the value of electronic card transactions for the April 2025 month (compared with March 2025) were:

• spending in the retail industries was unchanged
• spending in the core retail industries increased 0.2 percent ($12 million).

Files:

• Electronic card transactions: April 2025
• CSV files for download