The volume of retail decreased

According to calendar adjusted data, the volume of retail sales decreased by 1.8% in July, and by 2.2% in the first seven months of 2008 compared to the same period of the previous year.

 In the first seven months of 2008, the
domestic retail turnover (including retail sale via mail order houses) was HUF 3447 billion, out
of this a turnover of HUF 557 billion was generated in July.
According to calendar adjusted data, the volume of retail sales in
specialized and nonspecialized food, beverages and tobacco stores
decreased by 1.5% in the first seven months of 2008 and by 1.4% in
July compared to the same period of the previous year. Sales volumes
for non-specialized stores (hyper-, supermarkets, groceries) –
having a major, 92 per cent market share – declined by 1.6% and
sales for specialized food, beverages and tobacco stores increased by
0.9%. In July, according to seasonally and calendar adjusted data,
sales volumes for food, beverages and tobacco stores were essentially
unchanged compared to June.

According to calendar adjusted data,
the turnover of non-food retail trade – at constant prices –was down by 2.6% in the first seven
months of 2008 and by 2.0% in July compared to the same period of the
previous year. In July, at constant prices, retail sales volumes fell
only in the furniture and household goods shops while sales increased
in all other activity groups compared to the same period of the
previous year. The highest increases were in textiles, clothing,
footwear stores compared to a low base in July 2007. In July,
non-food retail sales at constant prices – according to seasonally
and calendar adjusted data – decreased by 0.1% compared to the
previous month.

According to a Eurostat first estimate,
in July 2008, the volume of retail trade – according to seasonally and calendar adjusted data –
decreased in the EU27 as well as in the eurozone. The rate of decline
was 1.1% on average in the 27 member states of the European Union and
2.8% in the eurozone compared to the same month of the previous year.
The highest increases were observed in Romania (18.4%), while the
largest decreases were in Latvia (8.5%).

In July 2008, in Hungary, sales volume
for motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores –
not regarded as retailing by the European Statistical System – fell
significantly by 8.2% and by 2.0% in the first seven months of 2008
compared to the same period of the previous year. At constant prices, the retail trade
turnover of automotive fuel was higher by 0.4% in July compared with
the same period a year ago.