Press release 07/02/2019

RETAIL TRADE INDEX (ICIm). IV/2018

Sales in the retail trade sector of the Basque Country rose by 3.3% in the fourth quarter of 2018

There was an accumulated increase of 0.9% in retail trade sales for the year overall

The retail trade sector of the Basque Country registered a 3.3% rise in sales at constant prices in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same period of the previous year, according to data provided by Eustat. Sales in the sector, not including service stations, were up by 3.5% in year-on-year terms.

With respect to the previous quarter, the sales index was up 1.4% in real terms, once any seasonal effects had been eliminated.

By sector, food products registered a rise of 3.0% in sales in the fourth quarter of 2018, retail trade of other products was up 3.9% and sales of automotive fuel increased by 1.0%, all with regards to the same period in 2017 and once the price effect had been discounted.

In the retail food sector, specialised trade was up by 0.5%, as non-specialised trade in mainly food products rose by 4.1%.

There was a positive variation in all sectors of retail trade for other products. Specialised trade in other consumer goods was up 4.5%, specialised trade in personal equipment increased by 4.2%, and specialised trade in household equipment rose by 2.3%. The largest increase, 8.4%, was obtained in specialised trade of mainly other products, all at constant prices.

The sales index registered an increase in all three provinces. In Álava retail trade sales overall were up 3.5%; Gipuzkoa saw an increase of 3.4% and in Bizkaia there was a rise of 3.2%, all in real terms.

The number of people employed in the retail trade sector in the Basque Country overall in the fourth quarter of 2018 was up by 0.4% on the third quarter of 2018.

Annual balance 2018

There was an accumulated increase of 0.9% in retail trade sales for the year overall, in real terms. If service stations are excluded, other retail trade sales rose by 0.8%, in the accumulated data of 2018 compared to 2017. By sectors, food products were up by 2.0% whilst trade in other products recorded a downward trend, of 0.2%, for the year as a whole.

By province, the best results were registered in Álava, with an increase of 1.4% in the year overall, followed by Gipuzkoa, where there was a rise of 1.0%, and then Bizkaia, where the increase was 0.7%, at constant prices.

The rise in employment in the retail trade sector in 2018 compared to the average of the previous year was 0.2% in the Basque Country.

For further information:

Eustat - Euskal Estatistika Erakundea / Basque Statistics Institute C/ Donostia-San Sebastián, 1 01010 Vitoria-Gasteiz Press Service: servicioprensa@eustat.eus Tel: 945 01 75 62