Press Release 27/11/2014
Wholesale activities accounted for 53% of the total trade turnover in 2012
The profit margin ranged between 30% in retail trade and 18% in Sale & Repair, and stood at 21% for wholesale trade
The Sale & Repair sector had a turnover of 30.901 billion euros in 2012, of which 52.8% (16.384 billion euros) corresponded to wholesale trade, according to data prepared by EUSTAT. Retail Trade registered a turnover 12.136 billion (39.3%), while the remaining 2.461 (8.0%), corresponded to the Sale & Repair of Vehicles.
The total employed personnel in this sector was 131,832 individuals divided as follows: 12,600 (9.6%) were employed in the branch of Sale and Repair of Vehicles, 41,574 (31.5%) were employed in Wholesale Trade and 77,658 individuals (58.9%) were employed in Retail Trade.
By province, 14.4% (19,055) of total employed personnel corresponded to Álava, 53.0% (69,858) corresponded to Bizkaia and the remaining 32.6% (42,919) corresponded to Gipuzkoa.
The average number of people employed per commercial establishment in the Basque Country was 3.1, ranging from an average of 2.8 in retail establishments to 3.7 in those involved in the sale and repair of vehicles, and 3.5 in wholesale establishments.
For the sector as a whole, microenterprises (with fewer than 10 people employed) comprised 95.2% of establishments and generated 50.7% of total turnover with 61.5% of the employed personnel. Small companies (with 10 to 49 people employed) represented 4.4% of establishments with 25.7% of employment, and 35.2% of the turnover. Finally, companies with 50 or more employees (medium and large companies) invoiced 14.1% of total turnover, provided employment to 12.8% of people employed and represented 0.4% of all establishments.
Sales per person for the trade sector as a whole stood at 234,395 euros, with a commercial margin on sales of 25%, and no noticeable differences between provinces.
Personnel costs per person, averaging 27,305 euros, were also homogeneous across provinces. The surplus for the financial year reached 675 million euros for the Basque Country overall.
The Sales and Repairs branch invoiced 8% of turnover for the whole sector
The Sales and Repair of Vehicles branch employed 12,600 people in 2012, distributed across provinces as follows: 17.1% in Álava, 48.9% in Bizkaia and 34% in Gipuzkoa.
The turnover figure reached 2.461 billion euros, 8.0% of the total, with sales per person standing at 195,298 euros. It was in Álava that the Sales and Repairs branch represented the greatest proportion of the sector as a whole in terms of turnover, reaching 9.5%; in Gipuzkoa it represented 8.9% and in Bizkaia, 6.9%.
The Sales and Repair of Vehicles branch had the lowest commercial margin of the sector, at 18%.
Personnel costs per person stood at 32,242 euros, above the average for the sector as a whole.
The result of the financial year was 15 million, 2.2% of the total.
At a more detailed level of activity we can draw attention both to the Sales of Motor Vehicles and the Maintenance and Repair of Motor Vehicles. The sum of both accounted for 84.1% of employed personnel and 83.0% of sales. These same percentages over the trade sector total would be 8.0% and 6.6%, respectively.
Wholesale trade generated the greatest sales per person in the sector, at 392,157 euros
The Wholesale branch employed 41,574 people in 2012, 31.5% of the sector total, distributed across provinces as follows: 14.9% in Álava, 51.9% in Bizkaia and 33.2% in Gipuzkoa.
The turnover figure reached 16.304 billion euros, 52.8% of the total, with sales per person being the highest in the sector, standing at 392,157 euros. It was in Bizkaia that the Wholesale branch represented the greatest proportion of the sector as a whole in terms of turnover, reaching 54.2%; in Álava it represented 54.0% and in Gipuzkoa, 49.7%.
The commercial margin of the Wholesale branch was 21% in 2012 and the personnel costs per person stood at 36,309 euros, the highest in the sector. The result of the financial year was 415 million, 61.5% of the total.
Within Wholesale Trade, it is worth mentioning Wholesale in Food, Beverages & Tobacco, and Other Specialised Wholesale Trade (includes wholesale trade in fuel, metals, building materials, ironmongery, chemical products, other semi-finished products, scrap and others). The sum of both groups amounted to 45.0% of employed personnel and 60.8% of Wholesale sales. With regards to the trade total they came to 14.2% and 32.1%.
The retail commercial margin was 30%
In 2012 the Wholesale branch employed 77,658 people, 58.9% of the total, with a turnover of 12.136 billion euros, 39.3% of the total. The distribution of personnel employed by province was 13.8% in Álava, 54.2% in Bizkaia and 32.0% in Gipuzkoa.
Sales per person stood at 156,280 euros, the lowest in the sector. It was in Gipuzkoa that the retail branch represented the greatest proportion of the sector as a whole in terms of turnover, reaching 41.4%; in Bizkaia it represented 38.9% and in Álava, 36.5%.
The commercial margin of the Retail branch was 30% in 2012 and the personnel costs per person stood at 21,683 euros, the lowest in the sector. The operating profit was 245 million, 36.3% of the total.
Two groups stand out in Retail Trade: Retail Trade in non-specialised establishments (includes large stores and warehouses, amongst others) and Retail Trade in other items in specialised establishments (includes clothes, footwear, pharmaceutical, medical, orthopaedic, cosmetic and hygiene products, watches and jewellery items and others). The sum of both groups amounted to 57.6% of employed personnel and 57.8% of retail sales. With regards to the trade total, these same figures would stand at 33.9% and 22.7%.
For further information:
Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Instituto Vasco de Estadística
C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz
Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel: 945 01 75 62
Further press releases on the Survey on Trade and Repairs of the Basque Country
Databank on Survey on Trade and Repairs of the Basque Country