Abstract #301030

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JSM 2003 Abstract #301030
Activity Number: 120
Type: Topic Contributed
Date/Time: Monday, August 4, 2003 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
Sponsor: Section on Government Statistics
Abstract - #301030
Title: The United Kingdom Index of Average Weekly Retail Sales
Author(s): Pamela Davies*+ and Francis Jones
Companies: Office for National Statistics and Office for National Statistics
Address: , Newport, South Wales, , , United Kingdom
Keywords: retail sales ; calendar adjustment ; seasonal adjustment
Abstract:

The Retail Sales Index measures monthly movements in the average weekly turnover of retailers in Great Britain. It is compiled from data collected in the Retail Sales Inquiry; the inquiry goes out to a sample of almost 5,000 retailers of all sizes every month. The Retail Sales Inquiry collects total retail turnover from retailers for standard periods of 4, 4, and 5 weeks within each quarter; this is the same basis that the majority of retailers use in their own accounting systems. Data collected on these periods are not subject to trading day variation; however, the reporting periods do induce a "phase-shift" effect, associated with the fact that the standard periods do not match calendar months and move slightly each year relative to the calendar month. This paper will discuss the reasons for choosing this pattern of reporting; the method of calendar adjustment (an important effect being the removal of a "phase-shift" effect rather than a trading day effect); and the advantages and drawbacks of the reporting structure.

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