Retail trade

The retail trade index measures the monthly evolution of the turnover at current prices of businesses which are engaged in retail trade. With effect from January 2018, the indices are calculated with reference to the base year 2015, using the Ateco 2007 classification (Italian edition of Nace Rev. 2)

Year-on-year estimates of the value of retail trade showed a slow growth in May 2018, increasing by 0.4% compared with May 2017, while the volume index contracted by 0.2% in the same period.

On the month, both the value and volume went up respectively 0.8% and 0.9% compared with April 2018.

In May 2018 the underlying pattern in the data, as suggested by the 3 month on 3 month movement, continued to show decline in both value terms, decreasing for the 4th consecutive month (-0.1%) and in volume terms, falling for the 8th consecutive month (-0.2%).

Compared with May 2017, the retail trade index for large scale distribution was estimated to have risen by 1.8%, while falls were reported by small scale distribution, which decreased by 1.5%.

The value of sales made online in May 2018 increased by 13.9% compared with May 2017.