Measured in real terms (constant 2019 prices), retail trade sales increased by 2,7% year-on-year in December 2023. The largest contributors to this increase were:

·         retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (7,0% and contributing 1,6 percentage points); and

·          general dealers (3,5% and contributing 1,5 percentage points).

In 2023, retail trade sales decreased by 1,0% compared with 2022. Six of the seven types of retailers showed negative year-on-year growth rates over this period. The largest negative contributor was general dealers (-2,4% and contributing -1,0 percentage point). The only positive contributor was retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (5,7% and contributing 1,0 percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,4% in December 2023 compared with November 2023. This followed month-on-month changes of 1,1% in November 2023 and -1,7% in October 2023.

Retail trade sales increased by 0,1% in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the fourth quarter of 2022. The largest contributor to this increase was retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (4,5% and contributing 0,9 of a percentage point).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0,4% in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the third quarter of 2023. The largest negative contributor to the decrease was retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (-1,5% and contributing -0,3 of a percentage point).