Retail Sales in Hungary up 16.2% in March

  • 5 May 2022 7:13 AM
  • Budapest Business Journal
Retail Sales in Hungary up 16.2% in March
In March 2022, the volume of retail trade acccording both raw and calendar-adjusted data was 16.2% higher than in March 2021, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) reports.

Compared to March 2021, the volume of sales was essentially unchanged in specialized and non-specialized food retailing. The volume of sales decreased by 0.3% in non-specialized food and beverages shops accounting for 76% of food retailing and increased by 2.4% in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores.

The turnover of non-food retailing increased by a total of 29.7% in volume. Sales volumes grew fourfold in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, threefold in second-hand goods shops, by 75% in furniture and electrical goods stores, by 59% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 13% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods and by 8.3% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops.

The volume of mail order and internet retailing accounting for 8.9% of all retail sales and involving a wide range of goods fell by 7.3%.

The volume of sales in automotive fuel stations increased – due to the mid-month surplus purchases – by 51.4%.

Sales in motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores not belonging to retail data increased by 9.1%.

March domestic retail sales amounted to HUF 1.375 trillion at current prices. Specialized and non-specialized food shops accounted for 44% of all retail sales, while the relevant figures for non-food retail trade and retail trade of petrol stations were 36% and 20% respectively.

Retail trade volume up 10.3% in January-March

The volume of retail trade increased by 10.3% in January-March 2022 compared to the same period a year ago.

The volume of sales rose by 1.1% in specialized and non-specialized food shops, by 16.9% in non-food retail trade and by 27.4% in automotive fuel retail trade, according to data by KSH.

Click here to read the full report

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Hungary's largest and oldest source of business and financial news in English. Since 1992 it has presented essential information on Hungarian business life, including international analyses about the country. These days the BBJ newspaper is published every other week, while it releases daily business news online including premium paid content.

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