Annual Enterprise Survey 2023

Impact of COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic had significant impact on NZ business activity over 2020, 2021 and 2022 years, particularly when COVID-19 alert levels and protection framework (traffic lights) were in place. As the Annual Enterprise Survey 2023 results cover enterprises with balance dates between 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023, the impact of COVID-19 was small compared with previous years. 'Government funding, grants and subsidies' include government funded COVID-19 wage subsidies in the Annual Enterprise Survey 2023. Wage subsidies passed on to employees are captured under salaries and wages paid. End of petroleum refining activity The end of petroleum refining activity in New Zealand in March 2022 is reflected in these results. This change resulted in some businesses being classified to different Australian New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC06) industries in the AES 2023 year compared with the AES 2022 year. The most significant impacts are in the petroleum and coal manufacturing industry, which increased and the basic material wholesaling industry, which decreased. The change is also noticeable at the aggregated industry levels for both Manufacturing and Wholesale Trade (ANZSIC06 divisions C and F). More size bands released More size bands have been produced for AES 2023 than were released for previous years. The size band table Activity unit count by operating profit bands and sales bands has additional size bands for both profit and sales added to reveal more information and better reflect small business activity en-NZ