Decline in retail trade volume in April was most affected by grocery stores
According to Statistics Estonia, in April 2024, the turnover of retail trade enterprises was €842 million. Compared with April 2023, the volume of retail trade turnover fell by 3%.
Johanna Linda Pihlak, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that while the turnover volume in March was down by 4% compared with the same time last year, the decline slowed somewhat in April. “The drop in the volume of retail trade turnover in April was mainly due to grocery stores, as their turnover volume decreased by 6% year on year,” Pihlak added.
Compared with April 2023, the turnover volume of stores selling manufactured goods decreased by 5%. The biggest decline, by 12%, was registered in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials. A larger-than-average fall of 11% was also recorded in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear, and in stores selling via mail order or the internet, where the turnover volume was down by 9%. In pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics, the volume of turnover increased by 7% and a 2% rise was seen in other specialised stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc.
The turnover volume of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel increased by 9% compared with April last year.
In comparison with March, the volume of retail trade turnover decreased by 2% in April. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover volume was down by 1% from the previous month.
In the first four months of 2024, the turnover of retail trade enterprises decreased by 4% compared with the same period of 2023.
Turnover volume index – an index that expresses the change in the volume of sales of goods at constant prices compared with the sales in a previous period. Price indices of goods are used in the calculation of the turnover volume index.
The statistics are based on the VAT declaration data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Statistics Estonia performs the statistical activity “Financial statistics of trade enterprises (monthly)” for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications in order to determine how the Estonian economy is doing.
See also the internal trade section on our website.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
When using Statistics Estonia’s data and graphs, please indicate the source.
For further information:
Heidi Kukk
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181
press [at] stat.ee