Retail turnover stable

April 2016 had a Friday and a Saturday more and a Wednesday and a Thursday less than April 2015. After correction for shopping days, retail turnover is below the level of one year previously.

Turnover food sector marginally higher

Food, beverages and tobacco shops accounted for a 0.5 percent year-on-year growth in April. Sales were 0.5 percent down, while prices of day-to-day shopping items were 1 percent up. Supermarkets and specialist shops realised better turnover results.

The effect of Easter is very obvious in the food sector. In March, Easter accounted for a solid turnover growth of 7.6 percent, but in April turnover growth was hardly noticeable, despite the favourable shopping-day pattern.

Lower turnover results for non-food sector

Non-food shops saw turnover decline by 0.8 percent relative to April 2015. The volume of goods sold in April fell by 1.6 percent, while prices rose by 0.8 percent relative to April last year

Within the non-food sector, home furnishing shops and DIY shops again realised robust turnover growth. Chemist shops also reported turnover growth compared to April 2015, but household appliances shops, clothing shops and consumer electronics shops faced a downturn relative to last year.

Sustained growth online turnover

Online retail turnover soared by nearly 15 percent year-on-year in April. The increase is less robust than in the first three months of 2016, when the average turnover growth exceeded 22 percent.

Turnover generated by so-called multi-channelers, i.e. retailers selling goods and services online as well as in the traditional manner grew by 7.5 percent in April. Turnover growth generated by web shops rose by nearly 21 percent on an annual basis. The core activity of web shops is selling goods and services to consumers over the internet.