The first graph shows the real growth rates calculated on the basis of seasonally and working-day adjusted indices according to the groups of products for the March 2010 - 2019 average and for March 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic required the adoption of certain epidemiological measures, the implementation of which began on 19 March 2020, which affected a decline in retail trade in most groups of products.
The largest decline in March 2020 was recorded in the retail trade of textile, clothing and footwear, of 50%, while the March average for the last ten years increased, by 1.8%. At the same time, the retail trade of electrical appliances and furniture (including audio and video equipment, hardware, paints and other household articles) recorded a decline of almost 31% (30.9%), while the March 2010 – 2019 average increased by 0.8%.
As expected, an increase in the retail trade in March 2020 was recorded only in two groups of products, that is, in the retail trade of food products (food, beverages and tobacco), of 3.6%, while the March 2010 – 2019 average recorded a decline of 0.9%. The retail trade of pharmaceutical and medicinal products increased by almost 10% (9.7%) in March 2020, while the average for March of the previous ten-year period slightly increased by 0.2%.
The second graph shows the real growth rates calculated on the basis of seasonally and working-day adjusted indices according to the type of sales channel for the March 2010 - 2019 average and for March 2020.
The total seasonally and working-day adjusted deflated turnover generated by all business entities with retail trade as their main activity (classified in division 47 of the NKD 2007.) decreased by 8.5% in real terms in March 2020 compared to February 2020, while the March 2010 – 2019 average increased by 0.8%.
The impact of measures against the COVID-19 pandemic is also visible when observing the generated retail trade turnover according to the type of sales channel. In March 2020, only non-specialised stores with food, beverages and tobacco predominating (class 47.11 of the NKD) realised an increase of 4.3%, while non-specialised stores with non-food products predominating (class 47.19 of the NKD) recorded a significant decrease of 21.4%. It is interesting that retail trade via the internet (class 47.91 of the NKD) also recorded a decrease of 18.6%.
According to the data for the March 2010 − 2019 average, the real growth rates of the retail trade in the observed types of sales channels had the opposite direction than the real growth rates realised in March 2020. Non-specialised stores with food products predominating realised a decrease of 0.9%, while non-specialised stores with non-food products predominating realised an increase of 1.3%. The retail trade via the internet increased by 1.9%.
Additional information:
RETAIL TRADE, MARCH 2020