IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Measured in real terms (constant 2012 prices), retail trade sales increased by 4,5% year-on-year in May 2016. The highest positive annual growth rates were recorded for:

• all 'other' retailers (11,4%);
  
• retailers in hardware, paint and glass (7,5%); and
  
• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (6,0%).

The main contributors to the 4,5% increase were:

• general dealers (contributing 1,8 percentage points);
  
• all 'other' retailers (contributing 1,3 percentage points); and
  
• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (contributing 1,3 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 3,4% month-on-month in May 2016. This followed month-on-month changes of -1,5% in April 2016 and 0,3% in March 2016. In the three months ended May 2016, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0,5% compared with the previous three months.

Retail trade sales increased by 3,0% in the three months ended May 2016 compared with the three months ended May 2015. The main contributors to this increase were:

• general dealers (3,1% and contributing 1,2 percentage points); and
  
• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (4,5% and contributing 0,9 of a percentage point).