Retail decreased in Mai

According to calendar adjusted data, the volume of retail sales decreased by 1.6% in May, and by 2.4% in the first five months of 2008 compared to prior-year levels.

In May, the domestic retail turnover
(including retail sale via mail order houses) approached HUF 515 billion, while for the first
five months of 2008 it was HUF 2400 billion. In the first five months
of 2008, specialized and non-specialized food, beverages and tobacco
stores had a share of 53 percent in sales; the turnover structure has
been reflecting this shift for years.

According to calendar adjusted data,
the volume of retail sales in specialized and nonspecialized food, beverages and tobacco stores
decreased by 1.7% in the first five months of 2008 and by 1.3% in May compared to the same
period of the previous year. Sales volumes for non-specialized stores
(hyper-, supermarkets, groceries) – having a major, 91 per cent
market share – declined by 1.4% and sales for specialized food,
beverages and tobacco stores increased by 0.2%. In May, according to
seasonally and calendar adjusted data, food, beverages and tobacco
stores had a sales volume decrease of 0.5% compared to April.

According to calendar adjusted data,
non-food retail trade turnover – at constant prices – was down by 3.0% in the first four months
and by 1.9 percent in May compared to the same period of the previous
year. In May, sales volume for pharmaceutical and medical goods,
cosmetics and toilet articles shops as well as sales in
textiles, clothing, footwear stores increased while sales declined in nearly all activity groups, especially
in shops for furniture and household goods. The sale volume for
books, newspapers and other articles as well as other sales in non
specialized stores only slightly decreased compared to the same month of
the previous year. In May, non-food retail sales at constant prices –
according to seasonally and calendar adjusted data – rose by 0.1
percent compared to the previous month.