Retail trade value up 9% in September

Retail trade increased by 8.6% in value in September from the same month last year and was up 4.2% in volume, according to the monthly turnover index, while the figure was higher for the first nine months.

The Turnover Value Index of Retail Trade, compiled by the statistics department (Cystat), increased at a higher rate in the three quarters compared to last year, up 10.8% in value and up 7% in volume.

The data excludes the sale of motor vehicles.

All categories of retail products saw an increase in value and volume, the only exception being fuel, which dropped 2.3% in value in September compared to the same month last year and was down 6.2% for the nine months.

In volume, fuel sales were down 1% in September from a year earlier and up 3.6% in January-September.

The biggest annual increase in value in September was in the “retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores”, up 16.3%, followed by “food products” (+12.4%) and “food, drinks, tobacco in non-specialised stores” (+12%).

The largest increase was in “textiles, clothing, footwear”, up 7.9%, followed by “computers and telecom equipment, curtains, carpets, books, stationery, sporting equipment, toys, flowers, plants, watches, jewellery” (+6.9%) and “electrical household appliances, furniture, lighting, equipment, construction materials” (+6.5%).