2.7.2023 | Estonia

Retail trade turnover fell by 10% in May

Text Mark Taylor
Photo Andrei Chertkov

According to data released by Statistics Estonia, in May, the turnover of retail trade enterprises was 905 million euros. When compared with May 2022, turnover fell by 10 per cent at constant prices.

“Turnover decreased in grocery stores and stores selling manufactured goods as well as in enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel. The biggest decline occurred in the turnover of stores selling manufactured goods, which fell by 15 per cent compared with May last year. The decrease was 4 per cent in enterprises engaged in the retail sale of automotive fuel and 3 per cent in grocery stores,” said Johanna Linda Pihlak, an analyst at Statistics Estonia.

Among stores selling manufactured goods, turnover decreased the most, by 28 per cent, specialised stores selling predominantly computers and their accessories, books, sports equipment, games, toys, etc. Turnover fell by 16 per cent in other non-specialised stores selling predominantly manufactured goods (department stores), by 12 per cent in stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear, by 11 per cent in stores selling second-hand goods and non-store retail sale (stalls, markets, and direct sale), by 11 per cent in stores selling via mail order or the internet, and by 10 per cent in stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials.

However, turnover increased by 4 per cent in pharmacies and stores selling cosmetics.

In May compared with April, the turnover of retail trade enterprises increased by 8 per cent. However, according to seasonally and working-day adjusted data, turnover fell by 1 per cent compared with the previous month.

In the first five months of 2023, the turnover of retail trade enterprises decreased by 9 per cent compared with the same period of last year.