We are currently developing the documentation of statistics. At the moment, the content is not necessarily up-to-date in all respects.
Periodical survey of retail trade: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Periodical survey of retail trade
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics have been discontinued. The survey of retail trade is conducted at intervals of a fixed number of years as an inquiry among enterprises that cover all branches of retail trade. Enterprises into the survey sample are selected so that they represent all enterprise size categories from all branches of retail trade. The responses received from the sampled enterprises are multiplied to represent data for all the enterprises in the frame by branch. The data describe the distribution of retail trade turnover by product, retail trade purchases by type of supplier and retail sales floor areas. The first periodical survey was conducted in 2003 concerning 2002 and the next one will concern the year 2007.
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Purchases
Purchases include the value of all goods and services bought for resale and use in trade during the financial year, except for capital commodities. Purchases comprise - materials used for goods sold as such (raw materials, intermediate goods, product components) - supplementary materials connected to production (such as packaging, maintenance and repair materials, office supplies) - water and energy - unactivated purchases of small tools and equipment - services (e.g. legal and accounting services, insurance premiums, advertising costs and patent and licence fees if not activated). Purchases do not include expenses entered in the financial statement as financial expenses or other than actual operating costs.
Sales surface area
Sales surface area comprises - total area in use of customers, including fitting rooms - sales counters and shopwindows - space behind sales counters reserved for salespersons.
Turnover
Turnover is as reported in the financial statement. Turnover from trade purchase and sale activities comprises sales of goods bought in the enterprise's own name and on its own account and of those resold to trade enterprises as such or packed and marked in a typical manner: - retail trade (resale to households or to units consuming small quantities) - wholesale trade (resale to other retailers or professional users).
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information:
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data.
Further information: The terms of use for statistical data
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (eur-lex.europa.eu) and the Finnish Data Protection Act (Finlex.fi) are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (Finlex.fi).
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection