Retail Services Price Index, first quarter 2012
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The Retail Services Price Index (RSPI) edged up 0.1% in the first quarter.
Retail Services Price Index
Chart description: Retail Services Price Index
The largest margin increases in the first quarter were posted by general merchandise stores (+2.0%), miscellaneous stores (+1.9%) and building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (+1.4%).
Electronics and appliance stores (-4.5%) posted the largest margin decline in the first quarter. Margins for gasoline stations (-3.0%), health and personal care stores (-1.4%) and sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (-1.4%) also fell during the quarter.
Margins for food and beverage stores rose 1.3% in the first quarter from the previous quarter. Compared with the same quarter in 2011, food and beverage store margins advanced 4.7%. Margins for food and beverage stores have been increasing since the second quarter of 2010.
The RSPI was up 1.7% from the first quarter of 2011. General merchandise stores (+5.3%) recorded the largest year-over-year margin increase in the first quarter. Margin advances were also posted by building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (+4.9%) and miscellaneous store retailers (+2.4%).
Year-over-year declines in retail margins were recorded by electronics and appliance stores (-3.8%), sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (-3.5%), gasoline stations (-2.9%) and health and personal care stores (-2.8%). The first quarter of 2012 marks the sixth consecutive year-over-year margin decrease by electronics and appliance stores.
Note to readers
Data for the most recent quarter are subject to revision. The series are also subject to an annual revision with the release of second quarter data of the following reference year. The indexes are not seasonally adjusted.
The Retail Services Price Index (RSPI) is part of the Services Producer Price Index program at Statistics Canada. The RSPI is not a retail selling price index. The index represents the change in the price of the retail service. The price of the retail service is defined as the margin price, which is the difference between the average purchase price and the average selling price of the retail product being priced.
With this release, an additional CANSIM table is available that presents the RSPI as a quarterly index. The table that presents monthly data will continue to be updated with each release.
Available without charge in CANSIM: tables CANSIM table332-0003 and CANSIM table332-0007.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number survey number5135.
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Statistics Canada's National Contact Centre (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 613-951-8116; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or the Media Hotline (613-951-4636; statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@canada.ca).
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