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Stable turnover growth in retail trade continued also in August

News
Posted on 29 September 2017, 11:00
According to Statistics Estonia, in August 2017, compared to August of the previous year, the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased 1% at constant prices. Similarly to July, turnover showed a stable one-percent growth also in August compared to the same month of the previous year.

In August 2017, the turnover of retail trade enterprises was 588.3 million euros.

The turnover of stores selling manufactured goods increased 8% compared to August 2016. Turnover increased in most economic activities, except in non-specialized stores selling predominantly manufactured goods (e.g. department stores), where turnover was smaller than in August of the previous year. Turnover increased the most in stores selling via mail order or the Internet, with sales increasing nearly a third in year-over-year comparison. A higher than average increase in turnover occurred also in stores selling second-hand goods and in non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, direct sale) (12%) and in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials (11%).

The turnover of grocery stores decreased 2% compared to August 2016. The turnover fall of these stores was partly influenced by the acceleration in the price increase of food products. While in August 2016, the annual price increase of food products was 0.5%, in August 2017, it was 6.4%.

The turnover of enterprises engaging in the retail sale of automotive fuel decreased 6% compared to August of the previous year.

In August, compared to July, the turnover of retail trade enterprises decreased 1%. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, however, turnover stayed at the same level compared to the previous month. In the eight months of 2017 (January–August), the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased 2% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Turnover volume index of retail trade enterprises and its trend

The statistics are based on the VAT declaration data of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Statistics Estonia published the monthly summary in four working days. For the statistical activity “Economic indicators of trade enterprises”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia performs this statistical activity.