Retail trade - October 2021

In October 2021 estimates for seasonally adjusted index of retail trade slightly increased in the month on month series by 0.1% in value terms and by 0.2% in volume terms. In October 2021 both levels of value and volume of sales were higher than those of pre-pandemic February 2020.

In the three months to October 2021 value of sales was up 1.4% when compared with the previous three-month period, likewise volume increased by 1.0%.

In October 2021 both value and volume of retail trade continued to grow for the 8^th month in a row in the year on year series. Value sales increased by 3.7% and volume sales rose by 2.8% comparing to October 2020.

In October 2021, when compared with the same month a year earlier, large-scale distribution was up 2.7%, small-scale distribution rose by 5.8% and non-store retail sales grew by 2.2%.

Online sales fell by 3.7% in October 2021 when compared with October 2020. This is the first negative y-o-y growth recorded since the series began, however levels of online sales in October 2021 were still substantially higher than those seen in February 2020, before the pandemic.

Looking at the value of sales for non-food products, all sectors experienced growth besides Computers and telecommunications equipment (-3.6%), Durable and non-durable household items (-1.1%) and Stationery, books, newspapers and magazines (-1.0%). The largest increases were reported for Shoes, leather goods and travel items (+14.8), Clothing (+14.2%) and Electric household appliances, audio-video equipment (+12.7%).