Jaanika Tiigiste, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that despite the coronavirus-related restrictions that were re-introduced in March, retail trade enterprises recorded turnover growth.

"Among the stores selling manufactured goods, turnover fell in department stores, clothing and footwear stores, pharmacies and cosmetics stores, while internet shops had a considerable increase in sales, and turnover went up also in home goods stores," added Tiigiste.

The turnover of stores selling manufactured goods increased by 6 percent compared to last year's March. The biggest growth, of 70 percent, was recorded in stores selling via mail order or the internet. Turnover increased by 14 percent in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials, and by 10 percent in stores selling second-hand goods and in non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, direct sale).

Turnover decreased by 13 percent in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics, by 9 percent in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear, by 6 percent in other specialized stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc., and by 5 percent in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods (department stores).

Compared to March 2020, turnover increased by 2 percent in grocery stores and by 5 percent in enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel.

In March compared to February, the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased by 10 percent. According to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover decreased by 1 percent.

In the first three months of 2021, the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased by 5 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

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