Increase in retail sales in July

Economic indicators
Increase in retail sales in July

The volume of sales in retail trade, excluding fuels, has increased by 3.6% in July 2021 compared to the same month last year.

In the same period, the sharpest increases were registered for ‘Textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods in specialised stores’, ‘Retail sale via stalls and markets’, ‘Other retail sale in non-specialised stores’ and ‘Retail sale of other goods in specialised stores’, i.e. increases of 35.6%, 25.6%, 15.5% and 14.7%, respectively.

The sharpest decreases were observed in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores’, ‘Retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating’, ‘Food, beverages and tobacco’ and ‘Retail sale in non-specialised stores’, i.e. decreases of 3.6%, 2.6%, 2.4% and 1.6%, respectively.

Comparisons with July 2019

We are comparing with July 2019 as 2020 was an unusual year. The sharpest increases can then be observed for ‘Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet’, ‘Retail trade not in stores, stalls or markets’, ‘Retail sale via stalls and markets’ and ‘Dispensing chemist; retail sale of medical and orthopaedic goods, cosmetic and toilet articles in specialised stores’ i.e. increases of 19.9%, 13.1%, 12.6% and 10.4%, respectively.

The sharpest decreases were observed in ‘Retail sale of information and communication equipment in specialised stores’ and ‘Automotive fuel in specialised stores’, i.e. decreases of 7.3% and 1.5%.

The volume of sales in retail trade, excluding fuels, has increased by 3.5% in July 2021 compared to the same month last year.

These indices are expressed with reference year 2015=100.

Note

From January 2021 and following the new European FRIBS regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/2152), breakdowns at the retail level have changed. As a result, some breakdowns no longer exist and new ones have been implemented. Our methodology also changed. The main data source is the VAT declaration of enterprises to the FPS Finances, and no longer a survey. Only +/- 340 major enterprises will continue to answer the survey. The indices have been recalculated with the new methodology since 2010.