Out of rock bottom

Retail volume sales were down 2.7 percent in the first ten months of 2010. According to the latest data by KSH, the volume of sales in October was at the same level as in the previous month. Domestic retail network and mail order companies generated sales of HUF 6,050 billion in the first ten months, of which HUF 666 billion was realised in October. Food and food type product stores realised 44 percent of retail sales; the turnover of food stores decreased by 1.3 percent in October and by 2.4 percent in the first ten months of 2010. In October hypermarkets, supermarkets and small shops (which represent 90 percent of sales) sold 1.7 percent less, in terms of volume, than in the same period of 2009. In the first ten months non-food retail sales decreased by 1.8 percent in volume, if compared with the first ten months of 2009.