Retail sales index - March 2020
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In March 2020 retail sales1 at constant prices were by 9.0% lower than the year before (against a growth of 1.8% in March 2019). Compared with February 2020 retail sales decreased by 3.3%. In the period of January-March2 2020 retail sales y/y were by 0.7% higher (against a growth of 4.1% in 2019).
Introduction in March this year the state of epidemic threat, followed by the state of epidemic and the related significant reduction in retail trade in some commercial facilities substantially affected the volume of purchases and realized retail sales. In March 2020 compared to the corresponding period of 2019 retail sales (at constant prices) decreased in the majority of groups. Among the groups with a significant share in total retail sales a considerable decrease in sales was reported by enterprises trading in motor vehicles, motorcycles, parts (by 30.9%) and sellers of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels (by 12.5%). Within groups with a lower share in total retail sales the largest drop was noted in the group “textiles, clothing, footwear“ (by 49.6%).
1) Data concerns trade and non-trade enterprises employing more than 9 persons. Groups of enterprises were created on the basis of the Polish Classification of Activities (PKD 2007) and a given enterprise is included to a specific category by predominating kind of activity and according to its present organizational status in mentioned period. The recorded changes of rise or fall of the volume of retail sales in particular groups
of enterprises activity may result from a change in the predominating kind of activity and organisational changes (e.g. a merger of enterprises). This does not have impact on the dynamics of the total retail sales.
2) Corrections made by reporting entities were included in cumulative data.
