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The Retail Sales Index (RSI)

Retail Sales Index

The Retail Sales Index (RSI) is produced by the Economic Division of the Department of Statistics and is a key economic indicator used to assess the current performance of sales activity in the retail sector. The RSI measures goods sold by retailers based on a sampling of retail stores. The RSI is considered a self-weighting index, as stores reporting a large value of sales have a greater impact on the movement of the index than stores reporting a low level of sales activity.

Purpose of the Retail Sales Index
The RSI serves to:

  • measure monthly and annual movements of retail sales
  • provide an estimated gross turnover of sales in the local retail sector
  • act as a barometer of change in the level of demand for both the domestic and tourist markets

Retail Sales Index Methodology
The index is structured into seven broad sectors:

  • Food Stores
  • Liquor Stores
  • Motor Vehicle Dealers
  • Service Stations
  • Building Materials
  • Apparel Stores
  • All Other Store Types

Total retail stores across the seven sectors represent roughly 70% of all retail activity on the Island. The base period 2006 recorded a gross turnover in retail sales of $1.1 billion. Retail outlets that participate in the retail sales survey and trade in similar types of goods are grouped into these seven sectors. It is important to note that sector classifications are not interchangeable with commodity classifications. This is because most retail outlets sell several kinds of commodities. The sector classification reflects generally the individual commodity or the commodity group, which is the primary source of the establishment’s receipts, or some mixture of commodities, which characterizes the establishment’s business.

Retail Sales Index 2022

Retail Sales Index 2021

Retail Sales Index 2020

Retail Sales Index 2019

Retail Sales Index 2018

Retail Sales Index 2017

Retail Sales Index 2016

Retail Sales Index 2015

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