Volume of retail trade turnover continued to grow in October

Johanna Linda Pihlak, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the rise in the volume of retail trade turnover in October was mainly driven by enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel and stores selling manufactured goods. “The decline in the turnover volume of grocery stores slowed in October, falling by 3% compared with October 2024. The drop in their volume of turnover was influenced by the rise in food prices,” Pihlak added. 

The turnover volume of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel increased by 25% compared with October last year. The rise in turnover volume was influenced by the low reference base of the previous year and the continuing fall of motor fuel prices. “However, it must be noted that the turnover of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel does not only include the sale of motor fuels, but total sales, which also covers, for example, income from food service and other goods and services,” Pihlak pointed out.

Turnover volume of stores selling manufactured goods up by 4% from October last year

Among stores selling manufactured goods, the biggest increase at 21% 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 8% in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear, by 4% in stores selling second-hand goods and non-store retail sale (stalls, markets and direct sale), and by 2% in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics. Turnover volume decreased by 6% in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials textiles, as well as in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods (e.g. department stores). The turnover volume of stores selling via mail order or the internet was down by 5%.

Compared with September, retail trade volume increased by 6% in October. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover volume was up by 2%.

In the first ten months of 2025, the volume of retail trade turnover increased by 3% compared with the same period of the previous year.

Retail trade data are published according to the main economic activity of enterprises registered in Estonia. 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.

Data as at 28 November are published. The indicator values may change if there are any revisions made in the data sources after this date.

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

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