Retail trade volume down by 1% year on year

Johanna Linda Pihlak, analyst at Statistics Estonia, pointed out that the decline in the volume of retail trade turnover in November was most affected by grocery stores, as their turnover volume decreased by 4% year on year. “The turnover volume of stores selling manufactured goods, however, continued to grow in November, increasing by 2% compared with the same period last year,” Pihlak noted.

Among stores selling manufactured goods, the biggest increase at 15% was registered in the turnover volume of other specialised stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc. In stores selling via mail order or the internet, turnover volume was up by 10%. The volume of turnover was down by 6% in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials, and by 3% in in stores selling second-hand goods and in non-store retail sale (stalls, markets and direct sale). The decrease in turnover volume was 3% in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear, and 2% in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods. The volume of turnover held steady in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics.

The turnover volume of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel also remained at the same level.

In November compared with October, the turnover of retail trade enterprises decreased by 1%. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover remained at the previous month’s level.

In the first eleven months of 2024, the turnover volume of retail trade enterprises decreased by 3% 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 (press[at]stat[dot]ee)

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