Johanna Linda Pihlak, Statistics Estonia analyst, said that: "The turnover growth in enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel accounted for nearly a half of the total rise in the turnover of retail trade enterprises," adding that a rise in turnover in grocery stores and stores selling manufactured goods also contributed to the overall increase.

Retail turnover for automotive fuel grew 29 percent on year to January 2022, the agency says.

A higher-than-average growth in turnover was also recorded in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics (18 percent) and in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials (9 percent).

Compared with January 2021, the turnover of stores selling manufactured goods rose by 7 percent.

Turnover grew in all economic activities. The highest growth (at 21 percent) was recorded in the turnover of stores selling second-hand goods and in non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, direct sale).

The turnover of grocery stores rose by 1 percent compared with the figure for January 2021.

Between December 2021 and January 2022, the turnover of retail trade enterprises fell by 20 percent, a common occurrence in the period immediately following Christmas and year-end sales.

However, according to the seasonally and working-day adjusted data, the turnover in January was the same as in the previous month, Statistics Estonia says.

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