According to the report from Federal Statistical Office (FSO), turnover in the retail sector fell by 0.5% in nominal terms in March 2019 compared with the previous year. Seasonally adjusted, nominal turnover fell by 0.1% compared with the previous month.

Real turnover in the retail sector also adjusted for sales days and holidays fell by 0.7% in March 2019 compared with the previous year. Economists had expected a 0.4% decrease. Compared with the previous month, real, seasonally adjusted retail trade turnover registered a decline of 0.2%.

Adjusted for sales days and holidays, the retail sector excluding service stations showed a 0.3% decrease in nominal turnover compared with March 2018 (in real terms –0.6%). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered an increase in nominal turnover of 0.5% (in real terms–0.4%), whereas the non-food sector registered a nominal negative of 0.5% (in real terms –0.4%).

Excluding service stations, the retail sector showed a seasonally adjusted stagnation in nominal turnover compared with the previous month (in real terms –0.2%). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered a plus of 0.3% (in real terms +0.3%). The non-food sector showed a minus of 0.3% (in real terms –0.5%).