Retail sales up by 4.3 percent in the first five months of 2015

The volume of retail business turnover (except motor vehicle and motorcycle sales), increased during the first five months of this year by 4 percent in gross series and by 4.3 percent in adjusted series according to number of working days and to seasonality, shows a press release by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Food sales rose by 8.4 percent and fuel by 5.7 percent. Sales of non-food products fell by 0.2 percent.

Against April, turnover in retail trade volume (except trade of motor vehicles and motorcycles) decreased both as gross series (down 2 percent) and as adjusted series by number of working days and seasonality (down 0.8 percent).

Year on year, the turnover for retail trade (except trade of motor vehicles and motorcycles) increased both as gross series (up 3.1 percent) and as adjusted series according to number of working days and seasonality (up 4.2 percent).

Compared to April 2015, in gross series, there were lower sales in food, beverages and tobacco (down 4.7 percent) and retail trade of automotive fuel in specialized stores (down 1.3 percent). Sales of non-food products remained stable.

In adjusted series according to number of working days and seasonality, decreases were also recorded in retail trade of automotive fuel in specialized stores (down 1.8 percent) and sales of food, beverages and tobacco (down 0.1 percent). Sales of non-food products, however, rose by 0.4 percent.

Year on year, in gross series, food beverages and tobacco sales registered increases (up 9.1 percent) and retail sale of automotive fuel in specialized stores has also gone up by 6.5 percent. Sales of non-food products fell by three percent.

In series adjusted by number of working days and seasonality, sales of food, beverages and tobacco went up 9.4 percent and retail sale of automotive fuel in specialized stores (up 8.3 percent). Sales of non-food products fell by 1.7 percent.

A Nielsen study showed on Thursday that food sales have increased during the first two weeks of June, following the VAT cut at the start of the month.