Monthly survey on retail trade 2021Mar
Published on 19 April 2021
Turnover in retail trade remained stable in March
Note :
The trend in retail sales does not reflect that of total household consumption: the latter includes other items such as healthcare, education and rents.
The trend in retail sales does not reflect that of total household consumption: the latter includes other items such as healthcare, education and rents.
With the extension of the lockdown measures, in particular the tightening of restrictions in 16 and then 19 departments as of 20 March which led to the closure of non-essential shops in those areas, turnover in retail trade remained little-changed in March compared to February, rising by just 0.5% (adjusted for seasonal and working-day variations). Industrial goods sales rose by 1.1% month-on-month, but this was offset by a 0.7% decline in sales of food. The steepest rises were in electronics (+15.5%), books (+8.4%) and sports equipment (+7.5%). In contrast, the biggest falls were in furniture (-8.1%), household appliances (-5.6%) and footwear (-4.7%).
In terms of distribution channels, small retailers reported 4.9% sales growth, while at large general retailers, sales were stable compared to February, inching up by just 0.2%.
Final data for distance selling are not yet available for March; however, in February, distance selling was up 46.5% compared with a year earlier, after year-on-year growth of 21.8% in January.
In terms of distribution channels, small retailers reported 4.9% sales growth, while at large general retailers, sales were stable compared to February, inching up by just 0.2%.
Final data for distance selling are not yet available for March; however, in February, distance selling was up 46.5% compared with a year earlier, after year-on-year growth of 21.8% in January.
Total industrial goods and food sales: M/M-1 change (%)
March and February 2021 m-o-m comparison; seasonally and working-day adjusted volume terms
Notes :
- Sectors are classified according to the relative weight of the products included in the total aggregate of retail trade (see methodology)
- The aggregated and by sub-sector series are seasonally adjusted on an individual basis: the seasonally adjusted series do not represent the sum of the seasonally adjusted components.
- Sectors are classified according to the relative weight of the products included in the total aggregate of retail trade (see methodology)
- The aggregated and by sub-sector series are seasonally adjusted on an individual basis: the seasonally adjusted series do not represent the sum of the seasonally adjusted components.
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