IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Measured in real terms (constant 2015 prices), retail trade sales increased by 3,1% year-on-year in January 2018. The highest annual growth rates were recorded for:

• retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (9,2%);
• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (6,5%); and
• all 'other' retailers (5,8%).

The main contributors to the 3,1% increase were:

• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (contributing 1,1 percentage points);
• all 'other' retailers (contributing 0,7 of a percentage point); and
• general dealers (contributing 0,5 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1,6% month-on-month in January 2018. This followed month-on-month changes of -3,3% in December 2017 and 4,0% in November 2017. In the three months ended January 2018, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0,9% compared with the previous three months.

Retail trade sales increased by 5,4% in the three months ended January 2018 compared with the three months ended January 2017. The main contributors to this increase were:

• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (8,0% and contributing 1,6 percentage points);
• all 'other' retailers (13,8% and contributing 1,4 percentage points); and
  
• general dealers (3,3% and contributing 1,4 percentage points).