Retail sales increased by 8.5 percent

The turnover for retail trade, excluding motor vehicles and gasoline, increased by 8.5 percent in the first two months of this year compared with the same period last year. This corresponds to an increase of NOK 2.2 billion excluding value-added tax. The index of retail sales shows the same increase.

The companies in retail trade had a turnover of NOK 28.2 billion in the 1st period (January and February) of this year. Stores with a broad selection of goods, which primarily include food, beverages and tobacco, had a turnover of NOK 12.6 billion in this period. The volume of sales of other new goods was NOK 11.9 billion. This industry group includes, clothing, shoes, electrical appliances, furniture, hardware, paints and painting articles and building materials.

Large sales of electrical appliances

Stores with sales of electrical household appliances, radios, televisions and paints and painting articles increased their turnover by over 15 percent in the first two months of 1998 compared with the same period a year ago. Stores with sales of a broad selection of hardware, paints and painting articles and other building materials also had a big turnover with an increase of almost 16 percent in the same period. The sales growth for retail sales of computers, etc. was over 20 percent.

New Statistics

Sales statistics for internal trade. Repair of motor vehicles and household appliances, 1st period 1998.
The statistics are published every other month in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. For more information and e-mail, contact: solveig.nygardseter@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 51 74, or liv.reidun.sletmoen@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 54 36.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 30-31, 1998