Measured in real terms (constant 2019 prices), retail trade sales increased by 2,3% year-on-year in March 2024. The largest contributor to this increase was general dealers (6,4% and contributing 2,8 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,4% in March 2024 compared with February 2024. This followed month-on-month changes of 1,0% in February 2024 and -3,3% in January 2024.

Retail trade sales decreased by 0,1% in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the first quarter of 2023. The largest negative contributors to this decrease were:

·       retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (-4,0% and contributing -0,7 of a percentage point);

·       all ‘other’ retailers (-3,0% and contributing -0,4 of a percentage point); and

·       retailers in hardware, paint and glass (-3,9% and contributing -0,3 of a percentage point).

The largest positive contributor was general dealers (2,7% and contributing 1,2 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales decreased by 0,9% in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the fourth quarter of 2023. The largest negative contributor to the decrease was retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (-8,9% and contributing -1,7 percentage points). The largest positive contributor was general dealers (2,0% and contributing 0,9 of a percentage point).