Over 8 percent increase in retail sales so far this year

The volume index for retail sales rose by over 8 percent in the first eight months this year compared with the corresponding period last year.

In this context retail sales exclude motor vehicles and gasoline.

Retail sales of other new goods in specialised stores, e.g. clothing, shoes, electrical appliances, furniture, hardware, paints and painting articles, and building materials increased by fully 17 percent in this period. The volume of retail sales of pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries increased by about 10 percent in the first eight months of 1998 compared with the same period in 1997. The volume index for retail sales in non-specialised stores, most of which are retail grocer's shops, increased by 2 percent. The corresponding figures for retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores decreased by 3 percent in the same period.

High retail sales in August

The volume index for retail sales rose by over 12 percent in August 1998 compared with August a year ago. The sales volume increased most during this period for non-store retail sales and retail sales of other new goods in specialised stores by 31 and 26 percent respectively. The volume of sales of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores declined by almost 5 percent in the same period.

The seasonally adjusted volume index for retail trade rose by 1.3 percent from July to August this year.

New Statistics
Index of retail sales, August 1998.
The statistics are published monthly in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. For more information contact: Rune.Sonsterudbraten@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 54 37 or Solveig.Nygardseter@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 51 74. For information about the goods consumption index, contact: Kristian.Gimming@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 44 17, or Monica.Henriksen@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 46 99. Tables can be found in the Statistical Annex on pages 9-17.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 41, 1998