Latvia and Estonia Retail Sales April 2008

Retail sales in both Latvia and Estonia perked up a bit in April, although as we the industrial output data I am still not sure how to interpret this, since moving Easter around so much has influenced the data to some extent.


Latvia

In comparison with March, total retail turnover in April 2008 was up by 2.3%, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau. This growth was recorded in almost all commodity groups.

Retail trade of food products was up 0.2%, and non-food products were up 2.9%.

Compared to April 2007, retail turnover was up in April by 1.2%2, and the main driver here was the increase in sales of non-food products (by 5.5%). Sales of food products were down by 5.8% year on year.

Compared to March, in April 2008 retail trade turnover of enterprises the main activity of which is the sale of motor vehicles, motorcycles and parts thereof increased by 10.2%1, and compared to April 2007 the increase was 4.2%.

In the months January – April 2008 the turnover of motor vehicles, motorcycles and parts thereof was down by 5.3% year on year: The volume of cars sold decreased by 10.8%, but sale of motor vehicle parts, as well the sale of motorcycles and motorcycle parts grew by 10.1%.




Estonia


According to Statistics Estonia, in April 2008 compared to April 2007 retail sales were unchanged (ie 0% growth) at constant prices.

In April, the retail sales of goods of retail trade enterprises were 4.6 billion kroons. In grocery stores the retail sales of goods decreased one percent compared with the April of the previous year. Retail sales in stores selling manufactured goods increased by 2% compared with the same period of the previous year. Compared to April of the previous year, the retail sales of pharmaceutical goods and cosmetics increased 10%, the retail sales of stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear and also of stores selling household goods and appliances, hardware and building materials increased 1%. Retail sales of non-specialized stores selling industrial goods and retail sales of other specialized stores stayed at the same level compared to April of the previous year.

Compared with March, retail sales increased by 1%.

In April the revenues from sales of retail trade enterprises were 5.5 billion kroons, of which retail sales of goods accounted for about 85%. Compared to April 2007, the revenues from sales increased 9% at current prices.