April retail trade turnover growth decelerates
According to a Wedneday morning press release from Statistics Estonia, the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased one percent on year at constant prices. While turnover was up five percent on year in March, April saw a deceleration in turnover growth.
In April 2017, the turnover of retail trade enterprises totaled €537.4 million.
The turnover growth of stores selling manufactured goods decelerated in April. While March saw the turnover of these stores increase 10 percent on year, in April that growth slowed to just two percent. Turnover increased in most economic activities, except for stores selling pharmaceutical goods and cosmetics, where turnover was smaller than in April of last year.
In non-specialized stores selling predominantly manufactured goods, e.g. department stores, turnover remained at the same level as in April 2016. Turnover increased the most in stores selling via mail order or the internet, with sales increasing 22 percent on year. A higher-than-average increase in turnover was also recorded in stores selling second-hand goods and in non-store retail sale, such as stalls, markets and direct sale, which saw five-percent growth.
The turnover of grocery stores increased two percent compared to April 2016, while the turnover of enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel, which grew in February and March, began to decline again in April and decreased four percent compared to April of last year.
Compared to the previous month, the turnover of retail trade enterprises decreased one percent in April. According to seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover remained at the same level compared to the previous month. In the first four months of 2017, the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased two percent compared to the same period last year.
Editor: Aili Vahtla