Home > Statistics > Turnover of trade > 2015 > August > Sales declined in the sectors of trade in August apart from motor vehicle trade

Published: 13 October 2015

Sales declined in the sectors of trade in August apart from motor vehicle trade

According to Statistics Finland, retail trade sales went down by 2.4 per cent in August from August 2014. In August, the sales in department store trade contracted by 6.1 per cent and in daily consumer goods trade by 3.0 per cent from one year back. Sales in wholesale trade fell most of all trade sectors, by 8.5 per cent compared with the previous year. By contrast, motor vehicles sales increased in August by 3.6 per cent year-on-year. Thus, sales decreased in total trade by 5.1 per cent from August 2014.

Annual change in turnover in trade industries, % (TOL 2008)

In retail trade, the sales volume fell by 1.2 per cent in August and in wholesale trade by 5.1 per cent from August 2014. In turn, the sales volume in motor vehicle trade increased by 3.9 per cent from one year back. Motor vehicle sales are in part explained by first registrations of motor vehicles, which according to Statistics Finland, grew by 3.2 per cent in August from August 2014. The combined volume of total sales was 2.6 per cent lower in August than in the year before.

In all sectors of trade the turnover developed more weakly in August than the sales volume, due to fallen prices. The volume index of sales is calculated by removing the effect of price changes from the value index series.

Retail trade sales fell by 1.1 per cent year-on-year in January to August

In the January to August period, sales contracted by 1.1 per cent in retail trade and by 4.8 per cent in wholesale trade compared to the corresponding period of 2014. Sales in motor vehicle trade in turn increased by 0.4 per cent from January to August 2014. Total trade sales went down by 3.0 per cent over the corresponding period.

Annual changes in trade sales and sales volumes are given unadjusted for seasonal variation. Annual changes particularly in retail trade may be affected by the number of weekday trading days. There were 26 weekday trading days in August 2015, which is the same as in August 2014. Weekday trading days refer to the weekdays of a calendar month (Monday to Saturday) excluding mid-week holidays.

Source: Turnover of trade, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Milka Suomalainen 029 551 2912, Jarkko Niemistö 029 551 2951, palvelut.suhdanne@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

Publication in pdf-format (231.3 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Year-on-year change in turnover in trade industries, % (TOL 2008) (13.10.2015)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Turnover of motor vehicles, wholesale and retail trade, trend series (TOL 2008) (13.10.2015)

Revisions in these statistics

• Revisions in these statistics (13.10.2015)

---

Updated 13.10.2015