Retail turnover over 4 percent higher in March

Retail turnover data have been adjusted for the shopping-day pattern in March. Retail sales tend to vary from one day to the next. If the shopping-day pattern is not taken into account, retail turnover in March 2023 was 5.1 percent higher than in the same month last year.

Turnover in non-food sector 1.5 percent lower

In March, turnover in the non-food sector contracted by 1.5 percent year on year. The volume of sales (turnover adjusted for price changes) decreased by 9.6 percent compared to the same month last year.

Shops selling furniture and home furnishings, shops selling personal care products and those selling consumer electronics and white goods saw year-on-year turnover growth in March. On the other hand, shops selling recreational goods, clothes shops, shops selling footwear and leather products and those selling DIY products, including kitchens and flooring, recorded a decrease in March.

Turnover of food shops over 9 percent up

Shops selling food, beverages and tobacco achieved 9.2 percent higher turnover in March than in the same month last year. The volume of sales, however, was 5.7 percent lower. Turnover at supermarkets and specialist shops was up by 10.4 and 0.4 percent, respectively.

Online turnover over 3.0 percent higher

In March, online turnover was up by 3.4 percent year on year. Web shops recorded a turnover increase of 9.3 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 4.2 percent lower turnover in online sales. Online turnover of food and personal care products, other non-food products and consumer electronics was higher in March 2023 compared to March 2022. Online turnover of clothing and fashion items was lower.