IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Measured in real terms (constant 2015 prices), retail trade sales increased by 4,8% year-on-year in March 2018. The highest annual growth rates were recorded for retailers in:

• household furniture, appliances and equipment (20,7%);
• textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (10,6%); and
• pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (7,9%).

The main contributors to the 4,8% increase were:

• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (contributing 1,6 percentage points);
• general dealers (contributing 1,1 percentage points); and
• retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (contributing 0,9 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales remained unchanged month-on-month in March 2018. This followed month-on-month changes of 1,5% in February 2018 and -1,4% in January 2018. In the first quarter of 2018, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 1,3% compared with the previous quarter.

Retail trade sales increased by 4,1% in the first quarter of 2018 compared with the first quarter of 2017. The main contributors to this increase were:

• retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (8,1% and contributing 1,3 percentage points);
• general dealers (2,2% and contributing 1,0 percentage point); and
• retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (16,3% and contributing 0,7 of a percentage  point).