Specialised trade sales registered 3.1% inter-annual growth and non-specialised trade rose by 2.5%

The retail trade sector in the A.C. of the Basque Country increased nominal sales by 2.9% in the first quarter de 2005 with regard to the same period the year before, according to Eustat data. This nominal increase, discounting the effect of prices, also becomes a positive inter-annual evolution of 1.9% in real terms.

Traditional retail trade (specialised) has increased nominal sales by 3.1% in the first quarter of 2005, with regard to the same period in 2004. This nominal increase, as a result of the rises and falls in prices of the different sectors, maintained the same 3.1% growth rate in real terms.

Retail trade in medium and large stores (non-specialised) grew by 2.5% in the first quarter of this year in nominal terms. However, the variation in the real inter-annual rate is -0.7% with regard to the same quarter in 2004.

In specialised retail trade, the highest inter-annual growth rate corresponded to the Personal equipment sector, which registered 9.3% nominal growth, which in real terms was 9.1%. Household equipment goods, on the other hand, registered a nominal 2.8% negative evolution, which became –4.8% in real terms. Food product sales remained stable (0.0%) in nominal terms, but underwent a 3.6% decrease in real terms. However, Other Consumer Goods (sports, toys, optical goods and book shops, among others), registered 1.8% nominal growth, but due to the deflationary effect of prices, this rate becomes 4.8% in real terms.

By Province, the highest growth in the first quarter of 2005, of retail sector nominal sales corresponded to Bizkaia, with a 4.1% inter-annual increase, specialised retail trade sales grew 4.4% and non-specialised by 3.5%.

Alava had an intermediate evolution of 2.2%, having obtained 3.2% growth in specialised trade sales and 0.6% in non-specialised trade.

The lowest inter-annual provincial growth in retail trade sales corresponded to Gipuzkoa (1.2%), 1.1% for non-specialised retail trade and 1.5% for non-specialised, in terms of nominal inter-annual variation.

Growth in employment in the trade sector was 3.1% in relation to the average for the first quarter of the previous year and the provincial breakdown is as follows: Bizkaia (4.3%), Gipuzkoa (2.1%) and Alava (1.0%). However, personnel employed in the retail trade sector in the first quarter of 2005 fell by 1.5% in relation to the previous quarter for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country.