Turnover of retail trade enterprises continued to increase in August

According to Jaanika Tiigiste, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, the turnover of stores selling manufactured goods as well as the turnover of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel, which were most affected by the emergency situation in spring, grew steadily from June to August. “Compared to August 2019, the turnover of stores selling manufactured goods increased by 6% and the turnover of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel by 2%,” added Tiigiste.

Of stores selling manufactured goods, turnover increased the most, by nearly a fifth, in other specialised stores, such as stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, flowers, plants, etc. Turnover increased by 8% in stores selling via mail order or the internet and by 3% in stores selling second-hand goods and in non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, direct sale), in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics, and in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials. Turnover decreased by 4% in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear and by 2% in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods (department stores).

The turnover of grocery stores increased by 2%.

In August compared to July, the turnover of retail trade enterprises decreased by 2%. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, sales remained at the same level.

In the first eight months of 2020, the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased by 2% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

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 with the aim to determine the economic situation in Estonia.

More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.

For further information:

Kadri Kütt
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel. +372 625 9181