Key findings: P6141.2 - Wholesale trade sales, March 2009

Wholesale trade sales in real terms decrease

Wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the first quarter of 2009 decreased by 6,2% compared with the first quarter of 2008, while growth for the same period in 2008 was 6,8%. Seasonally adjusted wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for the first quarter of 2009 decreased by 5,4% compared with the fourth quarter of 2008.


Wholesale trade sales, at constant (2000) prices, for March 2009 decreased by 5,9% compared with March 2008, the third consecutive decline this year.

Wholesale trade sales, at current prices, for the first quarter of 2009 increased by 0,6% compared with the first quarter of 2008. The major contributors to this increase were dealers in food, beverages and tobacco (2,4 percentage points) and dealers in other goods (1,7 percentage points).

Wholesale trade sales at current prices for March 2009 decreased by 1,0% compared with March 2008, while sales for the corresponding period in 2008 increased by 19,1%.