Specialised trade sales registered 1.8 % inter-annual growth and non-specialised trade sales rose by 2.7 %

The retail trade sector in the A.C. of the Basque Country increased nominal sales by 2.1% in the third quarter of 2005 with regard to the same period the year before, according to Eustat data. This nominal growth, discounting the effect of price rises, becomes a positive 1.7% inter-annual evolution rate in real terms.

Traditional retail trade (specialised) increased nominal sales by 1.8% in the third quarter of 2005, with regard to the same period in 2004. This nominal increase, as a result of the evolution of different subsector prices, becomes an inter-annual growth rate of 2.6% in real terms.

Retail trade at medium and large stores (non-specialised) grew by 2.7% in the third quarter of this year in nominal terms. However, the estimated variation for the real inter-annual rate was -0.1%, with regard to the same quarer in 2004.

For specialised retail trade, the highest inter-annual growth rate corresponded to Other Consumer Goods, which registered 9.7% nominal growth, which in real terms came to 13.9%. Personal equipment, however, evolved more discretely, by 1.6% in current euros and its evolution was estimated to be 1.5% in constant euros. Sales of Household Equipment products, on the other hand, registered a -4,9% negative evolution in nominal terms, which became -5.0% in real terms. Sales of Food products registered a 0.1% decrease in nominal terms and this decrease came to -3.5% in real terms. In the medium and large stores section, the subsectors with a predominance of food products increased inter-annual sales by 3.1%, while those which predominated in the Rest of products obtained a more modest 0.3% increase.

By Provinces, the highest growth, in the third quarter of 2005, in retail sector nominal sales, occurred in Bizkaia, with a 4.1% inter-annual increase, specialised trade sales having grown 4.0%, while non-specialised rose 4.1%.

Alava had a more moderate evolution of 0.8%, specialised trade sales obtaining a 0.1% decrease while the non-specialised sector grew 2.4%.

Gipuzkoa experienced intermediate provincial growth in retail trade sales with 2.0%, growth coming to 1.6% for specialised retail trade sales and 2.9% for medium and large stores, in terms of the nominal inter-annual variation.

Growth in emploment in the retail trade sector was 2.1% on the average for the third quarter the year before and the provincial breakdown is as follows: Bizkaia (3.1%), Gipuzkoa (1.5%) and Alava (-0.2%). In addition, personnel employed in the retail trade sector in the third quarter of 2005 grew by 1.3% on the second quarter of 2005 for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country.