Retail turnover over 8 percent up in May

In May as well, measures against the spread of coronavirus had a mixed effect on retail trade. Shops selling DIY products again achieved a record increase in turnover. On the other hand, clothes shops and shops selling footwear and leather products saw their turnover decline again, but to a lesser extent compared to the record losses in the two previous months.

Retail turnover data have been adjusted for changes in the shopping-day pattern. Retail sales tend to vary from one day to the next. If the shopping-day pattern is not taken into account, retail turnover in May 2020 was 6.5 percent higher than in the same month last year.

Turnover growth non-food sector over 1 percent higher

In May, turnover in the non-food sector was up by 1.2 percent year-on-year. This is the first turnover growth since the start of the coronavirus crisis at the end of March. The volume of sales (adjusted for price changes) was virtually the same.

Within the non-food sector, there are still great contrasts. Clothes shops and shops selling footwear and leather products again saw substantial turnover decline, but less strong than in the two previous months. Turnover of shops selling personal care products also declined slightly. Turnover of shops selling furniture and home furnishings, shops selling consumer electronics and white goods and shops selling recreational goods increased. For the fifth consecutive month, shops selling DIY products, kitchens and flooring achieved turnover growth, exceeding the record growth in April.

Over 10 percent turnover growth for food sector

Shops selling food, beverages and tobacco achieved 10.1 percent more turnover in May 2020 than in the same month last year. The volume of sales increased by 6.5 percent. Supermarkets saw a turnover growth of 10.3 percent, while turnover of specialist shops increased by 8.1 percent.

Online shops realise almost 50 percent turnover growth

In May 2020, online shops saw their turnover go up by 49.5 percent relative to May 2019. Except for April, growth has never been higher since the start of the publication of Internet sales in January 2014. Web shops recorded a turnover increase of 38.7 percent; their core activity is selling goods and services over the Internet. Multi-channel retailers (retailers selling goods and services over the Internet as a side activity) achieved 64.8 percent higher turnover in online sales.

Figures published in this news release are provisional and subject to revision.