The State Bureau of Statistics announced on Monday that retail trade in January increased in real terms by 2.9 percent year-on-year, thus confirming its initial estimate.
According to DZS data, in January, the retail trade turnover, achieved by all business entities engaged in this activity regardless of their primary activity, increased nominally by 1.6 percent and in real terms by 2.9 percent compared to the same month of the previous year, according to seasonally adjusted data. This is a slower growth than a month earlier, when consumption jumped by 4.8 percent, the highest since September 2007. However, in January, retail trade increased for the 18th consecutive month, which has not been recorded since DZS began keeping these statistics.
DZS data shows that in January, year-on-year, according to seasonally adjusted indices, the highest increase of 5.4 percent was recorded in retail trade of non-food products, excluding motor fuels.
In the retail of food, beverages, and tobacco products, turnover simultaneously increased by 0.9 percent, while in other activities it increased by 0.6 percent. Observed by trade sectors, in January, according to original, unadjusted indices, the nominally highest increase was recorded in retail trade of textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather products, by 8.7 percent. In the retail of computer equipment, books and newspapers, games and toys, flowers and seedlings, as well as watches and jewelry, turnover increased by 7.2 percent, while in other non-specialized stores it increased by 6.3 percent. Turnover in non-specialized stores of food products, which have almost a 40 percent share in the total structure of retail trade turnover, was nominally 1.4 percent higher in January than in the same month of 2015.
At the same time, the largest decline in turnover, by 4.6 percent, was recorded in retail trade of motor fuels and lubricants.
