Retail trade volume down by 3% last year

Johanna Linda Pihlak, analyst at Statistics Estonia, noted that the biggest decline at 4% was registered in the turnover volume of stores selling manufactured goods. In grocery stores, the volume of turnover was down by 3%. “However, the turnover volume of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel increased by 2% last year,” added Pihlak.

Retail trade volume turned to growth again in the last month of the year. “The turnover of retail trade enterprises was €1 billion in December 2024, and compared with the same month in 2023, turnover volume was up by 1%,” Pihlak pointed out.

The turnover volume of stores selling manufactured goods grew by 8% in December 2024 compared with December 2023. The biggest increase at 33% was registered in the turnover volume of other specialised stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc. The volume of turnover was up by 19% in stores selling second-hand goods and non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, and direct sale), by 6% in stores selling via mail order or the internet, and by 1% in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics. Turnover volume fell by 9% in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods, and by 4% in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials. The volume of turnover in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear remained at the December 2023 level.

Enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel as well as grocery stores saw their turnover volumes fall by 4% compared with December 2023.

In comparison with November, the turnover volume of retail trade enterprises grew by 13% in December 2024, which was expected due to the Christmas and year-end sales.

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 (press[at]stat[dot]ee)

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