According to the latest flash report of the Central Statistics Office of Hungary, in March 2012 the volume of retail sales were almost 645.2bn HUF and in Q1 2012 they amounted to 1758.7bn HUF in Hungary. Consequently, the volume of retail sales increased by 0.9 percent in comparison to the same period of the previous year. A determining factor of the increase has been sales at food, drinks and tobacco stores which correspond to almost half of total turnover.

In the third month of the year food, drinks and tobacco stores, which provide the 46 percent of total turnover, could increase sales by 2.7 percent. Among the non-food sectors there was significant diversity as far as turnover results are concerned. Sales in non-specialized stores, at mail order services providers, clothing and cosmetics stores were faring well (annualized increase was sometimes more than 10 percent). The volume of retail trade of furniture, pharmaceuticals and second-hand goods, however, declined significantly, whereas the sales turnover of books and computer equipment stagnated. Demand of fuels, which make up the 20 percent of turnover, has continued to decline in March: on an annualized basis sales volumes were down by 4.3 percent.

Source: KSH (Central Statistics Office)

Turnover at food stores increased by 0.4 percent in comparison to February 2012; non-food retail sector has managed to increase by a greater extent (0.9 percent). At filling stations sales declined by 0.7 percent compared to the previous month.

According to a Eurostat report, in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year the volume of retail sales declined by 0.2 percent in the euro-zone countries, therefore from this point of view Hungary has delivered better results than the euro area.

The EU 27 retail turnover average was 1 percent higher, that is, average increase was similar to Hungary’s. Retail sales at our key trade partner, Germany, were 0.3 percent higher. In the region Hungary has managed to achieve a better retail turnover result in March 2012 than Bulgaria (-1.8 percent), Slovenia (-0.5 percent) and Slovakia (0.1 percent).

(Ministry for National Economy)