Wholesale and retail trade, structural statistics, 1998

Sales in this industry went up NOK 46 billion, which is an increase of 6.0 percent. In all, local kind-of-activity had NOK 815.4 billion in sales. All sales in this regard are excluding value added tax. Local kind-of-activity in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and household appliances, had NOK 74.6 billion in compensation of employees in 1998. The compensation of employees rose by NOK 7 billion, or 10.3 percent, from 1997 to 1998. The number of local kind-of-activity increased by more than 400 in the same period.

Sales in wholesale and retail enterprises amounted to NOK 801.8 billion in 1998. The structural statistics are published for both enterprise level and company level. The reason is that Statistics Norway has access to more detailed accounting information at the enterprise level. Sales at company level are somewhat higher because a number of enterprises have their main business within other industries that also include wholesale and retail companies.

Agency and wholesale trade

Local kind-of-activity in the agency and wholesale trade, except those including motor vehicles and motorcycles, had NOK 463.7 billion in sales in 1998. Sales at the local kind-of-activity in this industry rose by NOK 28.6 billion or 6.6 per cent from 1997 to 1998. There was a slight reduction in the number of companies, while employment rose by 5 400 persons. In all, 114 000 people were employed in this industry in 1998. The compensation of employees were NOK 36.3 billion and rose by 8.8 per cent from 1997 to 1998.

174 000 employed in retail trade

Retailing is the trade that employs most people in the main segment: wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and household appliances. Nearly 174 000 people were employed in the retail trade in 1998. The number of employees rose by more than 2 900, while the number of local kind-of-activity increased by over 300 from 1997 to 1998. Compensation of employees were almost NOK 26 billion. Wages grew by NOK 2.8 billion or 12.1 percent. Retail local kind-of-activity had NOK 200.9 billion in sales in 1998, which was a growth of NOK 11 billion, or 5.8 percent, from 1997.

Lowest growth for motor vehicles and petrol

Local kind-of-activity in the wholesale and retail trade with maintenance of motor vehicles and motorcycles, and retail local kind-of-activity with petrol for motor vehicles and motorcycles, had 4.4 per cent higher sales, or NOK 6.3 billion, from 1997 to 1998. The number of local kind-of-activity increased by more than 200 and the number of employees by nearly 2 000. This corresponds to an increase of 2.2 and 3.8 percent, respectively. From 1997 to 1998, compensation of employees rose by 11.3 per cent in that regard.

Tables:

• Table 1 Principal figures, by industry subclass. Local kind-of-activity units. 1997 and 1998
• Table 2 Principal figures by number of persons employed and industry group. Local kind-of-activity units. 1997
• Table 3 Principal figures for the industrial section by county. Local kind-of-activity units. 1998
• Table 4 Principal figures, by industry group. Enterprises. 1997 and 1998
• Table 5 Gross earnings on merchandise sold, by industry class. 1998
• Table 6 Specification of turnover by different industries and industry class, expressed in percentages. Enterprises. 1998
• Table 7 Gross investments, by group of fixed assets and industry subclass. Enterprises. 1998
• Table 8 Gross investments, by category and industry subclass. Enterprises. 1998