Press release 26/04/2019

LARGE STORES AND FOOD CHAINS TRADE INDEX OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY, MARCH 2019

Sales in large stores and food chains in the Basque Country fell by 0.9% in March 2019

The balance for the first quarter of 2019 closed with 1.4% growth

Sales at large stores and food chains in the Basque Country in March 2019 experienced a year-on-year downturn at constant prices of 0.9% in homogenous terms of the working calendar, according to Eustat data. Compared to February 2019, sales were down 0.3% in deseasonalised terms.

In March 2019, sales of food products at large stores and food chains reflected a fall of 2.0%, and sales corresponding to other items registered an increase of 1.6%, with respect to the same month of the previous year.

There were rises and falls in the provinces in the year-on-year period: Bizkaia saw an increase of 0.1%, but in Gipuzkoa sales were down 2.2%, and in Álava there was a decrease of 1.9%.

Compared to the previous month, February 2019, food sales decreased by 0.7% and sales of other items increased by 0.5%; at constant prices and in deseasonalised terms.

By province, Álava and Bizkaia both saw a fall of 0.2%, and Gipuzkoa was down 0.5%, all with regards to the previous month, February 2019, at constant prices and in deseasonalised terms.

The number of people employed in large stores and food chains in the Basque Country rose by 3.1% compared to the same month of the previous year. It was also up 0.2% on the previous month.

Balance of the first quarter of 2019

In the first quarter of the year, accumulated sales at large stores and food chains in the Basque Country registered an increase of 1.4% compared to the same period of the previous year. As for food products at large stores and food chains, accumulated sales rose by 0.4%, whilst sales of other products were up 3.3%.

By province, sales increased by 2.2% in Bizkaia, 0.5% in Gipuzkoa and 0.1% in Álava.

For its part, the number of people employed was up 3.0% in the first quarter of 2019.

For further information:

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