The total turnover of retail trade enterprises in 2020 came to nearly €7.7 billion in 2020.

Jaanika Tiigiste, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said stores selling manufactured goods, saw the biggest increase in turnover at 6 percent, while grocery stores saw a 4 percent rise over the same period.

Tiigiste said: "At the same time, turnover fell by 4 percent in enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel."

In December 2020, turnover of retail trade enterprises stood at €736 million. Compared with December 2019, turnover increased by 7 percent.

Internet stores saw largest growth

In December, the turnover of stores selling manufactured goods increased by 9 percent.

The largest rise in turnover, of 30 percent, was recorded in stores selling products via mail order or the internet, Statistics Estonia says, perhaps not surprisingly given the restrictions imposed once the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Estonia in early March last year.

Turnover increased by 18 percent on year to 2020 in "other specialised stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc.", by 12 percent in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials, and also by the same figure in stores selling second-hand goods and in non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, direct sale).

Turnover at pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics rose by 2 percent, over the same period.

Textiles, clothing and footwear stores hardest-hit

As for sectors which saw a decline, stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear, saw turnover fall by 16 percent, while at non-specialized stores selling "predominantly manufactured goods" (read: Department stores), turnover fell 4 percent on year to 2020.

On month, the turnover of retail trade enterprises grew by 13 percent between November and December 2020, which Statistics Estonia says is customary during the holiday season.

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