Growth in Bizkia came to 5.7%, above the average, while Álava (1.2%) and Gipuzkoa (3.1%) registered a more moderate performance

The retail trade sector of the A.C. of the Basque Country increased nominal sales by 4.3% in the first quarter of 2007 with regard to the same period the year before, according to Eustat data. This nominal increase, discounting the effect of price rises, also becomes a positive inter-annual evolution of 3.0% in real terms.

Real rates of inter-annual growth. A.C. of Euskadi

Source: EUSTAT

Specialised retail trade increased nominal sales by 4.3% in the first quarter of 2007, with regard to the same period in 2006. This nominal increase becomes a real 1.1% growth rate.

Non-specialised retail trade grew by 4.3% in nominal terms during the first quarter of this year. The variation in the inter-annual rate was 2.3% with regard to the same quarter of 2006.

Specialised retail trade saw the highest inter-annual growth rate in the Food Sector, which registered 6.4% nominal growth, which in real terms was a rate of 2.7%. Sales of Household Equipment also grew significantly, by 5.3% in nominal terms, which in real terms was also a positive rate of 4.0%. Sales of Personal Equipment grew by 3.9% in constant euros, which was a growth of 2.9% in real terms. On the other hand, Other Consumer Products (sports, toys, opticians and bookshops, etc.) registered nominal growth of 3.2%, but, due to the deflationary effect of its prices, this rate becomes 3.5% in real terms.

By Provinces, the highest growth, in the first quarter of 2007, in retail sector nominal sales was in Bizkaia, with an 5.7% inter-annual increase, with specialised retail trade sales rising 7.9% and non-specialised retail trade sales by 3.3%.

Gkpuzkoa registered an intermediary provincial growth of 3.1%, with specialised retail sales up by 0.9% and non-specialised sales by 8.0%.

The lower inter-annual provincial growth in retail sales was in Álava (1.2%), where specialised retail trade sales were up by 1.3% and non-specialised retail trade grew by 1.0%, always in terms of nominal inter-annual variation.

Accumulated growth in employment in the retail trade sector on the average for the first quarter of the previous year was 0.6% and was reflected provincially as follows: Bizkaia fell 0.9%, while Álava and Gipuzkoa grew by 1.2% and 2.9%, respectively. However, the number of people employed in the retail trade sector in the first quarter of 2007 was down by 1.4% on the immediately previous quarter for the whole of the A.C. of the Basque Country. This negative inter-quarter evolution occurred in the three provinces.