Sales in Hungarian Retail Shops Up by 10.6%

In April 2021, the volume of retail trade increased by 9.9% in raw data and by 10.6% in calendar-adjusted data, compared with the same period of the previous year, as a result of the gradual lifting of restrictions from mid-month, and the low point in April last year.

In April, calendar-adjusted sales volumes rose by 3.3% in specialized and non-specialized food shops and by around a fifth in non-food retail trade and automotive fuel retailing compared with the same period a year earlier. In January–April 2021, the volume of sales – also according to calendar adjusted data – did not change compared to the same period of the previous year, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) reports.

The volume of sales increased by 3.3% in specialized and non-specialized food retailing. The volume of sales increased by 2.9% in non-specialized food and beverages shops accounting for 75% of food retailing and by 5.1% in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores.

The lifting of restrictions and the base effect typically affected non-food retail trade, which grew by 21.3% overall. Sales volumes rose sixfold in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, threefold in second-hand goods shops, by 38% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 18% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops and by 8.6% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods. Sales volumes fell in furniture and electrical goods stores (4.2%).

Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounts for 9.7% of retail sales, continued to expand by 6.4% in volume, following record growth in April last year.

Sales volumes in automotive fuel stations increased by 19.2%.

Sales in motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores not belonging to retail data increased by 30%.