November retail turnover down one percent on year
According to information released by Statistics Estonia on Tuesday, the turnover of retail trade enterprises decreased by one percent on year at constant prices in November 2017.
The turnover of retail trade enterprises totaled €558 million in November 2017.
The one-percent decrease in turnover was affected the most by businesses engaged in the retail sales of automotive fuel, where sales decreased by nine percent on year; the drop in turnover of these businesses was impacted by considerably faster increases in the price of automotive fuel that month. While gasoline was 7.5 and diesel fuel nine percent more expensive on year in October, the prices of both were up 16 percent on year the next month.
Grocery store turnover, meanwhile, decreased three percent compared to November 2016, with the drop in turnover being affected by continuing increases in food prices.
The turnover of stores selling manufactured goods increased five percent on year. Turnover increased in most economic activities, with the exception of specialized stores selling primarily computers and computer accessories, books, sports equipment, games, and toys, which saw lower turnover than in November 2016. Turnover increased the most, meanwhile, in stores selling via mail order or the internet, with sales increasing 28 percent on year. A higher than average increase in turnover was also recorded in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials (12 percent) and stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear (eight percent).
Compared to October 2017, retail turnover in November decreased four percent. According to seasonally and working-day adjusted data, however, turnover remained at the same level as in the previous month.
In the first 11 months of 2017, the turnover of retail trade businesses increased 1.5 percent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
Editor: Aili Vahtla