BRATISLAVA, July 4, (SITA) – Retail sales have continued lagging behind last year’s reported levels. The latest data released by the Statistics Office of the Slovak Republic show retail sales in May 2011 reached EUR 1.432 billion, down 3.5 percent y/y. In April, sales were 0.3 percent lower than one year ago. Further, it is reported that retail sales last registered an increase in June 2010. In February 2011, the indicator was seen to be stagnating on an annual basis.
The Statistics Office attributes this stagnation to lower retail sales of fuels in specialized outlets (-15.6 percent), retail sales of foodstuffs (-6.8 percent), sales outside stores, stalls and markets (-5.2 percent) and other retail sales (-2.3 percent). The only growth in retail sales was seen in ICT equipment in specialized outlets, which increased by 4 percent. In monthly terms, however, retail sales dropped 1.6 percent.
The wholesale sector reported a moderate 0.2-percent increase in sales, rising to EUR 1.955 billion. In the previous month, sales in the wholesale sector were 1.8 percent lower than one year ago. The monthly drop in May reached 0.6 percent. Also, sales and repairs of motor vehicles and motorcycles rose 11.8 percent y/y to EUR 301.8 million. Compared to April, however, this was a 4.2-percent decline. Sales in the accommodation sector ticked up 4.2 percent y/y to EUR 26.2 million, up 8.9 percent m/m. Pubs and restaurants saw a 2.2-percent y/y increase to EUR 64.2 million. Yet in monthly terms, this represented a 0.1-percent decrease.
During the first five months of this year, retail sales dropped 1.5 percent y/y to EUR 6.824 billion. Wholesale businesses witnessed a decline of 1.4 percent to EUR 9.232 billion in the monitored period. The sales and repairs of motor vehicles increased by 15.2 percent to EUR 1.397 billion, while the accommodation sector shrank 0.9 percent to EUR 119.3 million. At the same time, sales in the services of restaurants and pubs swelled 0.4 percent y/y to EUR 319.5 million.
Retail sales sank by 2.2 percent y/y to EUR 17.3 billion last year. Throughout most of 2010, the indicator was below the level reported in the previous year, except for March and June, which posted a y/y increase of 0.2 percent and 1 percent, respectively.
SITA
