Retail sales return to positive rates after growing 0.8% in August

MADRID, 30 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Retail trade registered in August an advance in its sales of 0.8% in relation to the same month of 2021, a rate four points higher than that of the previous month, when they fell by 3.2%, as reported this Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

With the data for August, retail trade sales return to positive year-on-year rates after the decline experienced in July.

In August, food sales in the retail sector rose by 1.2% compared to the same month in 2021, while those of other products fell by 2.8% due to the drop in sales of other goods ( -4%), while those of personal equipment rose 11.5% and those of the home, 3.6%.

By distribution modes, year-on-year decreases were recorded in single-store companies (-4.1%) and in large stores (-0.5%), compared to increases in small chains (2%) and large chains ( 0.9%).

Eliminating seasonal and calendar effects, the turnover of retail trade stood at 0.0%, five tenths more than in July, when it fell by 0.5%.

SALES INCREASE 0.2% IN THE MONTH

In monthly terms (August over July), retail trade increased its sales by 0.2% in the seasonally adjusted series, a figure nine tenths higher than that of the previous month.

With the advance of August, retail sales return to the positive path after accumulating three consecutive months of monthly declines.

By products, food sales rose by 0.1% in August compared to the previous month, while those of other products rose by 0.4%, with increases of 1.4% in equipment sales home, followed by personal equipment (0.6%) and other goods (0.4%).

All modes of distribution presented positive monthly rates in August except for department stores, which reduced their sales by 0.1% in relation to the previous month.

The greatest monthly increase in sales was recorded by single-location companies (0.7%).

EMPLOYMENT INCREASES 2.6%

As for employment, the sector recorded a year-on-year increase in employment of 2.6% in August, the same rate as in July.

With this rebound, employment in retail trade has already accumulated 16 consecutive months of year-on-year increases.

The largest year-on-year rise in employment is observed in large stores (4.2%) and in large chains (2.8%), followed by single-location companies (2.3%) and small chains (2.1%) .

In monthly terms, employment in the sector fell by 0.4%, highlighting the drop in employment in large chains (-1.3%) and large stores (-1%).

SALES INCREASE IN SEVEN COMMUNITIES AND EMPLOYMENT, IN 15

Sales rose in the annual rate in seven autonomous communities in August and fell in 10.

Specifically, the Balearic Islands (7%), the Canary Islands (5.8%) and Catalonia (3%) registered the greatest increases, while Castilla-La Mancha (-4.8%), La Rioja (-3.7%) and Principado de Asturias and Comunidad Foral de Navarra (-2.1%, both) presented the greatest decreases.

For its part, employment in retail trade increased in 15 Autonomous Communities at an annual rate, with the Balearic Islands registering the greatest increase (8.5%).