Retail trade volume began to decline in August

Johanna Linda Pihlak, analyst at Statistics Estonia, pointed out that the turnover volume of retail trade enterprises, which had been growing since December last year, began to decline in August. “The drop in the volume of turnover was influenced by stores selling manufactured goods as well as grocery stores. The latter had the greatest impact, with their turnover volume falling by 5% compared with August last year,” Pihlak added.

The turnover volume of stores selling manufactured goods turned to decline in August, falling by 2% compared with August 2024. Among stores selling manufactured goods, the biggest decrease at 14% was registered in the turnover volume of stores selling via mail order or the internet. “It should be noted here that when people order goods from outside the country by mail or online, this is not reflected in the turnover volume of Estonian retail trade enterprises,” explained Pihlak. 

Among stores selling manufactures goods, turnover volume in August fell by 5% in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods, by 4% in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials, and by 2% in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics. The volume of turnover was up by 4% in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear as well as in stores selling second-hand goods and non-store retail sale (stalls, markets and direct sale). In other specialised stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc., the volume of turnover increased by 2%.

The volume of turnover in enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel rose by 6% compared with August 2024.

In comparison with July, the volume of retail trade turnover was down by 3% in August. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover remained at the previous month’s level.

In the first eight months of 2025, the turnover volume of retail trade enterprises increased by 2% compared with the same period of the previous year.

Retail trade data are published according to the main economic activity of the enterprise. For example, the data on stores selling via mail order or the internet cover only those enterprises whose main activity according to the Classification of Economic Activities in Estonia (EMTAK 2008) is retail sale via mail order houses or via internet (EMTAK 4791). If an enterprise’s main economic activity is, for example, retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating (EMTAK 4711), but the enterprise also sells goods through an online store, the turnover data of both the physical store and the online store are reported under grocery stores.

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:

Susann Kivi
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 5696 6484
press [at] stat.ee (press[at]stat[dot]ee) 

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