The volume of retail sales adjusted for calendar effects decreased by 3.0% in January

In January 2008, the domestic retail turnover (including catalog retailing) was 416 billion HUF.

In January 2008, specialized and
non-specialized food, beverages and tobacco retail sales

declined again; sales volumes decreased
by 2.4 % compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
Sales volumes for non-specialized stores (hyper-, supermarkets,
groceries) – having a major, 91.4 per cent, market share –
decreased by 2.3 %; sales for specialized food, beverages and tobacco
stores declined by 3.5 %. In January, according to seasonally and
calendar adjusted data, sales volume for food, beverages and tobacco
stores declined by 0.3 % compared to the previous month.

In January, constant price sales for
non-food product stores declined by 3.5 % compared to the

same month of the previous year. In
January, only books, newspapers and other sales in specialized

stores as well as mail order retail
sales increased, while other activity groups suffered setbacks.

Compared to the corresponding month of
the previous year, the greatest sales volume decline occurred in
pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics articles stores. In
January, non-food retail sales – according to seasonally and
calendar adjusted constant price data – essentially remained at the
same level as in the previous month.

According to a Eurostat first estimate,
in January 2008, the calendar adjusted retail sales volume

for the 27 member states of the
European Union increased by 1.8 %, while for Eurozone countries

decreased by 0.1 % compared to the same
month of the previous year. Among member states, Slovakia presented
the highest retail trade turnover growth at constant prices, while,
beside Hungary, Spain, Belgium and Latvia reported a decrease.

Sales volume for motor vehicles and
motor vehicle parts and accessories stores – not regarded

as retailing by the European
Statistical System – decreased by 2.6 % compared to the same month
of the previous year, while automotive fuel retailing – at constant
prices – essentially remained the same as in January 2007.