Home > Statistics > Turnover of trade > 2008 > March > Retail trade sales fell by 0.2 per cent in March

Published: 13 May 2008

Retail trade sales fell by 0.2 per cent in March

According to Statistics Finland, retail trade sales were 0.2 per cent lower in March 2008 than one year previously. The decrease in sales was mainly due to Easter being in March this year, while last year it was in April. This March contained three fewer trading days than the corresponding month last year. Department store sales fell by 6.8 per cent, but daily consumer goods sales went up by 4.5 per cent. In wholesale trade, sales increased by 5.2 per cent from the year before, whereas in motor vehicle trade they decreased by 3.7 per cent. In total trade the growth of sales decelerated to 2.5 per cent in March.

In January to March, the cumulative annual change in retail trade sales was 7.1 per cent. In the same period the corresponding figure for motor vehicle trade sales stood at 4.4 per cent and for wholesale trade sales at 10.9 per cent. In total trade, sales grew by 8.9 per cent year-on-year in the January to March period.

Annual change in turnover in trade industries by quarter in 2007, March 2008 and the early part of the year 2008, %

	Annual change by quarter %				Annual change in latest month %	Cumulative annual change**
	01-03/07	04-06/07	07-09/07	10-12/07	03/08	01-03/08
Total trade	8.1	7.0	6.3	6.6	2.5	8.9
Motor vehicle trade	9.5	7.8	7.6	-3.7	-3.7	4.4
Wholesale trade	7.5	7.2	5.6	9.0	5.1	10.9
Retail trade	8.7	5.7	6.8	6.9	-0.2	7.1
- daily consumer goods trade	6.4	5.1	4.9	7.8	4.5	9.3
- department store trade	12.4	4.9	7.6	8.5	-6.8	3.9
*) Annual change compares March 2008 to the corresponding month of the year before. **) The cumulative annual change compares January-March 2008 to the corresponding period of the year before.

As of the data released at the beginning of May 2008, monthly trend indicators will have been calculated with a revised method. The revision affects both the calculation method and the calculation system of the indicators. Data concerning the latest six months may change slightly because of the revised calculation method.

The main revisions to the calculation methods of the trend indicators concern the treatment of missing observations from the accumulation period, enterprise openings and closures, and foreign-owned enterprises. Further information on the methodological revision is available from Mr Antti Santaharju, tel.+358 9 1734 2720.

Source: Wholesale and retail trade 2008, March, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Retail trade: Mr Marko Tuomiaro +358 9 1734 2705 and Ms Eeva Immonen +358 9 1734 3464
Motor vehicle trade and Wholesale trade: Ms Aila Kovanen +358 9 1734 3384

Director in charge: Ms Hannele Orjala

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Last updated 13.5.2008