Wholesale and retail trade, structural statistics, 2014

The total turnover in the wholesale and retail trade sector has been fluctuating since the financial crisis in 2008, and increased by 3.5 per cent from 2013 to 2014. With a growth in turnover of 3.3 per cent, 2014 was the first year since 2011 that the wholesale trade experienced a stronger growth in turnover than the previous year. Retail trade experienced the strongest growth in turnover since the financial crisis in 2008. Turnover rose by 4.1 per cent, compared to 2.2 per cent in 2013. Since 2010, trade with motor vehicles has had the most fluctuating growth in turnover among industry groups within wholesale and retail trade. In 2014, the growth was 2.9 per cent. This is illustrated in Figure 1.

Retail trade turnover increases in most counties

Troms and Buskerud had the greatest percentage growth in turnover from 2013 to 2014, with 6.7 per cent and 6.3 per cent respectively. Sør-Trøndelag and Vest Agder, however, experienced a decrease in turnover of 6.1 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively. Oslo and Akershus account for 42 per cent of the total turnover in wholesale and retail trade sector, as shown in Figure 2.

Fewer persons employed in trade with motor vehicles

Retail trade and repair of motor vehicles experienced an increase in total turnover of 2.9 per cent from 2013 to 2014. By comparison, the growth in turnover was 2.2 per cent in 2013. Trade with motor vehicles excluding motorcycles represents the largest share of the industry's total revenue at 70 per cent. This industry group with an increase in turnover of 5.4 per cent experienced the strongest growth. Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles had the largest increase in compensation of employees, at 5.1 per cent, and a 3.0 per cent increase in employment.

Higher turnover in wholesale trade

Of all the industry groups within wholesale trade wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco had the highest increase in both labour costs and revenues, with a growth of 4.5 and 5.8 per cent respectively. This industry group accounts for over half of the total growth in turnover in wholesale trade. Overall turnover in wholesale trade increased by 3.3 per cent from 2013 to 2014, compared with a 0.4 per cent increase the previous year.

Strongest growth in the retail industry

Grocery and kiosk trade is the largest industry group within the retail industry and represents 40 per cent of turnover and 34 per cent of employment in the industry. This industry group experienced an increase in turnover of over NOK 8 million, which corresponds to 47 per cent of the retail industry's overall growth in turnover from 2013 to 2014. The industry group retail trade excluding stores, stalls and markets, which mainly comprises online sales, experienced a turnover increase of 13.3 per cent in 2014. With a decrease in turnover of 7.3 per cent, retail sales of ICT equipment in specialised stores experienced the largest decline in turnover within the retail trade for the second consecutive year.

In 2014, wholesale and retail trade industry consisted of 65 736 enterprises, which employed 371 648 persons. These enterprises reported overall turnover of NOK 1 506 billion.