In April the volume of retail sales compared to the same period of the previous year declined by 2.7 percent. In the domestic retail network and in the retail trade of mail- and internet orders turnover of altogether 676bn HUF was registered in the fourth month of the year.

The turnover at food, beverages and tobacco retail stores which comprise the 45.6 percent of total domestic retail sales in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous year were down by 1.8 percent, but with regard to the initial four months of the year compared to the previous year sales increased by 0.8 percent.

The turnover of non-food retail stores in April declined by 3.2 percent. Decline was also significant in stores of furniture and electrical goods, pharmaceutical and medical goods, whereas decrease was smaller with regard to stores of books, computer equipment and other goods, as well as in non-specialized stores. The expansion of turnover at mail- and internet sale service providers, however, continued in April as well, and turnover increased by 36.7 percent compared to the same period of last year. Due to high fuel prices, sales at filling stations also declined; compared to April 2011 sales were lower by 3.2 percent.

According to currently available Eurostat data, in 13 EU countries retail sales declined in the fourth month of the year, and growth was registered in 9 of them. In the euro-zone average decline was 2.5 percent, similar to the Hungarian figure, whereas as far as the EU 27 average is concerned the decline was 1.9 percent.

Source: Ministry for National Economy - kormany.hu