Key findings: P6242.1 - Retail trade sales, May 2019

Measured in real terms (constant 2015 prices), retail trade sales increased by 2,2% year-on-year in May 2019. The largest annual growth rates were recorded for:

  • general dealers (4,0%);
  • retailers in household furniture, appliances and equipment (3,2%);
  • retailers in pharmaceuticals and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (2,9%); and
  • retailers in food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores (2,7%).

The main contributor to the 2,2% increase was general dealers (contributing 1,7 percentage points).

Seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 0,1% in May 2019 compared with April 2019. This followed month-on-month changes of 1,0% in April 2019 and -0,6% in March 2019. In the three months ended May 2019, seasonally adjusted retail trade sales increased by 1,1% compared with the previous three months.

Retail trade sales increased by 1,7% in the three months ended May 2019 compared with the three months ended May 2018. The main contributors to this increase were:

  • general dealers (2,6% and contributing 1,1 percentage points); and
  • retailers in textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods (2,1% and contributing 0,4 of a percentage point).