Volume of retail trade turnover down by 4% in September

Johanna Linda Pihlak, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the decline in the volume of retail trade turnover in September was mainly due to stores selling manufactured goods, as their turnover volume decreased by 6% year on year. “Among stores selling manufactured goods, the biggest decline at 10% was registered in the turnover volume of other specialised stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc., and also in the turnover volume of stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials,” added Pihlak.

The decrease in turnover volume was 9% in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear, and 3% in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods (department stores). The volume of turnover increased by 5% in stores selling via mail order or the internet, by 3% in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics, and by 1% in stores selling second-hand goods and non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, and direct sale).

Compared with September 2023, the turnover volume of grocery stores decreased by 4%. The turnover volume of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel took an upturn in September and rose by 3% year on year. “The rise in the turnover volume of these enterprises was influenced by the falling prices of automotive fuels,” explained Pihlak.

In September compared with August, the turnover volume of retail trade enterprises decreased by 5%. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover volume was down by 1% from the previous month.

In the first nine months of 2024, the turnover volume of retail trade enterprises fell by 4% compared with the same period of the previous year.

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

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