Retail turnover in August increased only slightly, the most important component of retail hyper- and supermarkets recorded a decrease

Year-on-year growth rate in retail turnover slowed down in August. The overall result was mainly affected by year-on-year turnover growth of e-shops or specialized sales of other goods, such as footwear, textiles, pharmacies and drugstores. However, most components of the retail trade, including the most significant hyper- and supermarkets, recorded lower real turnover than a year ago.

Retailers¹⁾ achieved higher year-on-year turnover in August 2024, but only by 0.7%. It was the second lowest growth in constant prices compared to the months of this year, despite the low comparative base last year, when the conversion to constant prices was influenced by high inflation.

Only 4 out of 9 components of retail trade achieved year-on-year higher turnover at constant prices. The result of the entire industry was most significantly affected by mail-order sales (sales outside stores, stands and markets) with a year-on-year increase in turnover by more than a fifth. This sector was also affected by the change in the structure and number of enterprises included in this category. Specialized stores were also prospering, e.g. footwear, textiles, drugstores and pharmacies (specialized sales of other goods), where turnover increased by 7% year-on-year, and specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores, whose turnover even rose at a double-digit rate. After three months of year-on-year declines, turnover also increased in specialized sales of ICT equipment, by 2.1%.

On the contrary, compared to last year, turnover in the most significant component of retail trade – hyper- and supermarkets (non-specialized stores) – decreased by half a percent. The turnover decline continued to be recorded in sale of fuel, this component of the retail trade was marked by a structural change in reporting units. Turnover also dropped in specialized stores for culture and recreation (bookstores, sporting goods, toy stores) by 6.2% and also in specialized stores with household goods (hobby markets, furniture and consumer electronics stores) by 3.8%.

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Year-on-year development of other components of trade in August 2024

Of the other components of internal trade, only accommodation registered a year-on-year turnover increase¹⁾ by 3%. The turnover of other segments decreased, in sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles by 1.5%, in wholesale²⁾ by 4.2% and in food and beverage service activities by 5.4%.

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Month-on-month development in August 2024 compared to July 2024

Turnover after seasonal adjustment in August month-on-month³⁾ rose in sale and repair of motor vehicles by 7.1% and in accommodation by 11.3%. It dropped  in wholesale²⁾ by 0.1%, in retail trade by 1% and in food and beverage service activities by 1.5%.

Development for 2024

In total for the first 8 months of 2024, turnover¹⁾ rose year-on-year in retail trade by 3.6%, in accommodation by 1.5% and in food and beverage service activities by 0.9%. Sales and repair of motor vehicles decreased by 1.2% and wholesale²⁾ by 3.1%