Retail trade: record growth in 2020, contraction in December

2015	January	1.4
2015	February	2.4
2015	March	1.4
2015	April	1.6
2015	May	1.4
2015	June	4
2015	July	2.9
2015	August	1
2015	September	5
2015	October	2.4
2015	November	1.1
2015	December	2.8
2016	January	1.5
2016	February	2.2
2016	March	1.5
2016	April	0.8
2016	May	3.5
2016	June	1.4
2016	July	2.8
2016	August	2.1
2016	September	0.4
2016	October	5.2
2016	November	5
2016	December	2.3
2017	January	5
2017	February	2.9
2017	March	4.6
2017	April	4.3
2017	May	3.8
2017	June	4.5
2017	July	4.5
2017	August	4.5
2017	September	5.8
2017	October	1.5
2017	November	5.4
2017	December	3.7
2018	January	3.6
2018	February	3
2018	March	1.7
2018	April	5.7
2018	May	3.7
2018	June	3.2
2018	July	3.8
2018	August	3.5
2018	September	1.9
2018	October	3.4
2018	November	4.2
2018	December	2.6
2019	January	1.5
2019	February	4.1
2019	March	4.1
2019	April	1.9
2019	May	2.6
2019	June	3.1
2019	July	3
2019	August	2.9
2019	September	4.4
2019	October	3.6
2019	November	2.4
2019	December	5.2
2020	January	3.6
2020	February	5
2020	March	3.3
2020	April	-1
2020	May	8.7
2020	June	10.4
2020	July	9.5
2020	August	10.4
2020	September	7.5
2020	October	7.4
2020	November	10.3
2020	December	-3.1
*excluding petrol stations and pharmacies

Contraction in December

On 14 December 2020, the government announced a strict lockdown to prevent coronavirus infections. Many non-food shops had to close their doors. As a result, retail turnover was down by 3.1 percent in December year-on-year. Turnover in the non-food sector decreased by 22.6 percent, while turnover in the food sector grew by 9.3 percent. In addition, online turnover was 58.3 percent up in December.

Many non-food shops were hit hard by the government's decision to shut down stores in mid-December. Turnover of shops selling footwear and leather products and clothes shops shrank by 46.7 and 45.3 percent respectively in that month. Shops selling recreational goods, shops selling consumer electronics and white goods and shops selling furniture and household articles also experienced a significant loss of turnover. Turnover of shops selling DIY products, kitchens and flooring remained virtually unchanged compared to one year previously, while shops selling personal care products achieved 4.6 percent turnover growth.

2005	-0.2
2006	5.2
2007	4
2008	2
2009	-4.3
2010	-0.5
2011	0
2012	-1.4
2013	-2.1
2014	1.3
2015	2.3
2016	2.4
2017	4.2
2018	3.4
2019	3.3
2020	5.9
*excluding petrol stations and pharmacies

Second highest turnover growth of this century

Retail trade achieved a turnover increase of 5.9 percent in 2020. At over 6 percent, turnover growth was only higher in 2001. The food sector realised the highest turnover growth of this century with 6.9 percent, while the non-food sector achieved virtually the same turnover as in 2019 (-0.1 percent). Online sales were 43.5 percent higher in 2020, the largest growth since the publication of online sales in 2014.

Wide disparities within non-food

There were wide disparities within the non-food sector in 2020. Shops selling DIY products, kitchens and flooring, shops selling consumer electronics and white goods, shops selling furniture and household articles and shops selling recreational goods achieved record turnover. On the other hand, clothes shops and shops selling footwear and leather goods suffered heavy losses, partly due to the store closures in the spring and in December.

Record growth in food sector

Last year, shops selling food, beverages and tobacco realised 6.9 percent higher turnover than in 2019. Supermarkets generated 7.1 percent and specialist shops 5.7 percent more turnover. The food sector seems to have benefited from the coronavirus crisis more than it was disadvantaged.

Total food	6.9	1.4
Supermarkets	7.1	1.7
Specialised shops	5.7	-0.6
Total non-food	-0.1	2.6
DIY shops, kitchens, floors	19.5	6.9
Consumer electronics, white goods	8.5	2
Furniture, home furnishings	7.7	7.1
Recreational goods	5.3	-2.8
Chemist's shops	2.4	1.5
Footwear and leather goods	-18.4	-0.9
Clothing	-19.6	-0.3
* excluding petrol stations and pharmacies

Online shops realise over 43 percent turnover growth

In 2020, online shops saw their turnover go up by 43.5 percent relative to 2019, the highest growth rate since the start of the publication of internet sales in January 2014. Webshops recorded a turnover increase of 35.8 percent; their core activity is selling goods and services over the internet. Multi-channel retailers (retailers selling goods and services over the internet as a side activity) achieved over 54.6 percent higher turnover in online sales.