IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Measured in real terms (constant 2012 prices), retail trade sales increased by 3,5% year-on-year in December 2013. The highest annual growth rates were recorded for:

• retailers in hardware, paint and glass (19,8%);
• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (5,8%);
•  all `other` retailers (4,0%); and
• retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (3,8%).

The main contributors to the 3,5% increase were retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (contributing 1,4 percentage points), retailers in hardware, paint and glass (contributing 1,1 percentage points) and general dealers (contributing 0,9 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,4% month-on-month in December 2013. This followed month-on-month changes of 1,5% in November 2013 and -0,2% in October 2013.

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,2% in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared with the previous quarter.

Retail trade sales increased by 3,1% in the fourth quarter of 2013 compared with the fourth quarter of 2012. The main contributors to this increase were retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (7,6% and contributing 1,7 percentage points) and general dealers (2,7% and contributing 1,0 percentage point).