IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Measured in real terms (constant 2015 prices), retail trade sales decreased by 1,3% year-on-year in August 2021. Negative annual growth rates were recorded for:

·         retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-7,4%);

·         retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (-5,2%);

·         all ‘other’ retailers (-3,6%); and

·         general dealers (-3,0%).

The main negative contributor to this decrease was general dealers (contributing -1,3 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 4,9% in August 2021 compared with July 2021. This followed month-on-month changes of -11,1% in July 2021 and 0,7% in June 2021. In the three months ended August 2021, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 4,1% compared with the previous three months.

Retail trade sales increased by 2,6% in the three months ended August 2021 compared with the three months ended August 2020. The main positive contributors to this increase were:

·         general dealers (2,3% and contributing 1,0 percentage point);

·          all ‘other’ retailers (10,0% and contributing 0,9 of a percentage point); and

·          retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (6,0% and contributing 0,9 of a percentage point).