Retail is among the areas Statistics New Zealand says has not contributed to an overall increase in total paid hours for the first three months of this year.
Total paid hours rose 1.1% in the first three months of the year, compared with the previous quarter, the largest quarterly increase in more than two years.
However, the latest Employment Survey reveals there was a decline of 61,000 paid hours in retail, in the period. That equates to about 130 fewer jobs.
But the Retailers Association believes sales figures are improving and will lead to more staff being needed.
