Press release 06/05/2011
Retail trade sales shrank by 1.8% in the Basque Country in the first quarter of 2011
Sales, not including service stations, were down by 2.9%
The retail trade sector of the Basque Country saw its nominal sales drop by 1.8% in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to Eustat data.
Sales in the sector, not including service stations, were down by 2.9% with respect to the same quarter of the previous year.
With respect to the previous quarter, the sales index was up a nominal 0.4%, once any seasonal effects had been eliminated.
By sectors, specialist retail trade nominal sales fell by 1.3% in the first quarter of 2011, while non-specialist ones were down by 2.5% with regard to the same period of 2010.
Within specialist retail trade, the performance of the Other Consumer Goods sector was particularly noteworthy as it posted nominal growth of 2.3%. The other sectors posted downturns in their sales. Sales of Food products fell by 2.6%, the Personal Equipment sector saw its sales fall by 3.0% and those for the Household Equipment sector were down by 0.8%. In the non-specialised retail trade sector, sales of establishments selling mainly food fell by 1.8% and those of establishments selling mainly other products were down by 6.3%.
By Provinces, the greatest downturn in retail sector nominal sales, in the first quarter of 2011, was in Bizkaia, with a 2.5% year-on-year decrease. Álava decreased its nominal sales by 1.5% and Gipuzkoa by 0.7%.
In constant prices, retail trade sales fell by 4.8% in the first quarter
Retail trade sales, without including service stations, posted a real downturn of 4.2% with respect to the previous year.
In the first quarter of 2011, retail trade real sales decreased by 0.6% in the Basque Country, compared to the fourth quarter of 2010, once any seasonal effects have been eliminated.
The real drop was 4.7% in the case of non-specialised and 4.8% for specialised retail trade with respect to the same quarter of 2010.
Year-on-year performances within specialised retail trade were negative in all its sectors: Household Equipment fell by 2.3%, Personal Equipment posted a real decrease of 2.4%, sales of Food Products were down by 3.8% and Other Consumers Goods decreased by 6.5%, all in real terms.
As far as non-specialised retail trade was concerned, year-on-year sales of food products fell by 3.9%, while those coming under Other Products were down by 10.3%, in constant euros.
The three provinces posted decreases in sales in real terms: Gipuzkoa fell by 3.8%, Bizkaia by 5.1% and Álava by 6.0%.
The number of people employed in the retail trade sector in the Basque Country overall in the first quarter of 2011 was down by 0.3% on the fourth quarter of 2010.
For further information:
Basque Statistics Office
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Tel: +34-945-01 75 00 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01 E-mail: eustat@eustat.es
Contact: Gerardo Pérez Aja
Tel:+34-945-01 75 06 Fax:+34-945-01 75 01
Further press releases on the Retail Trade Index of the Basque Country (ICIm)
Retail Trade Index of the Basque Country (ICIm) databank