Key findings: P6242.1 - Retail trade sales, March 2020

Measured in real terms (constant 2015 prices), retail trade sales increased by 2,7% year-on-year in March 2020. Positive annual growth rates were recorded for:

  • retailers in pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (13,9%);
  • general dealers (11,6%); and
  • retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (0,1%).

The main contributor to the 2,7% increase was general dealers (contributing 5,2 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 2,3% in March 2020 compared with February 2020. This followed month-on-month changes of -0,3% in February 2020 and 0,7% in January 2020. In the first quarter of 2020, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0,2% compared with the previous quarter.

Retail trade sales increased by 2,0% in the first quarter of 2020 compared with the first quarter of 2019. The main contributor to this increase was general dealers (4,4% and contributing 1,9 percentage points).