The volume of sales in retail trade, excluding fuels, has remained stable (slight increase of 0.1%) in December 2021 compared to the same month the previous year. Over the same period, the sharpest increases were registered for ‘Dispensing chemist; retail sale of medical and orthopaedic goods, cosmetic and toilet articles in specialised stores’, ‘Retail sale of other goods in specialised stores’, ‘Retail sale via stalls and markets’ and ‘Textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods in specialised stores’, i.e. increases of 21.5%, 16.6%, 11.8% and 7.8%, respectively.
The sharpest decreases were observed in ‘Retail trade not in stores, stalls or markets’,‘Retail sale of information and communication equipment in specialised stores’, ‘Cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores’ and ‘Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet’, i.e. decreases of 10.9%, 10.9%, 10.4% et 9.2%.
Comparisons with December 2019
As 2020 was an atypical year, it seems relevant to compare the current results with those of December 2019. The sharpest increases were then registered for ‘Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet’, ‘Dispensing chemist; retail sale of medical and orthopaedic goods, cosmetic and toilet articles in specialised stores’, ‘Retail sale of other goods in specialised stores’ and ‘Retail trade not in stores, stalls or markets’, i.e. increases of 23.0%, 17.6%, 16.6% and 15.5%, respectively.
The sharpest decreases were recorded in ‘Retail sale of information and communication equipment in specialised stores’, ‘Automotive fuel in specialised stores’, ‘Cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores’ and ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores’, i.e. decreases of 11.7%, 6.4%, 6.0% and 5.4%, respectively.
The volume of sales in retail trade, excluding fuels, has increased by 7.5% in December 2021 compared to the same month in 2019.
These indices are expressed with reference year 2015=100.
From January 2021, following the new European FRIBS regulation (Regulation (EU) 2019/2152), breakdowns for retail trade have changed. 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 continue to answer the survey. Indices have been recalculated since 2010 with the new methodology.