Wholesale and retail trade, structural statistics, 2008

There were only small changes in the number of local kind-of-activity units and number of persons employed from 2007 to 2008. The number of local kind-of-activity units rose by 0.7 per cent, and the number of persons employed rose by 1.7 per cent, or 6 182 persons. Overall there were just below 67 900 local kind-of-activity units and about 374 000 persons employed within wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles in 2008. Compensation of employees and gross investments amounted to NOK 128 and 11 billion respectively. See also the quarterly investment statistics for retail trade.

Mostly small local kind-of-activity units

Local kind-of-activity units with less than 10 persons employed accounted for 85.1 per cent of the total number of units within wholesale and retail trade. These units accounted for 28.9 per cent of the total turnover and employed 41.6 per cent of the total number of persons employed within the industry. By comparison, 0.8 per cent of the local kind-of-activity units had 50 or more persons employed. These units, however, accounted for 31.1 per cent of total turnover and employed 14.5 per cent of the total number of persons employed.

One quarter in the Oslo-area

The counties of Oslo and Akershus had more than 17 000 local kind-of-activity units within wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles. This amount to 25 per cent of the units nationwide, and these units accounted for 43 per cent of total turnover and employed 31 per cent of the total number of persons employed.

215 000 persons employed in retail trade

There were just below 38 700 local kind-of-activity units within retail trade in 2008, an increase of about 200 units, from 2007. The retail turnover amounted to NOK 381 billion. This is 4.5 per cent more than in 2007. The index of retail sales shows a 4.1 per cent growth in the same period. The number of persons employed rose by 0.7 per cent, or 1 400 persons.

The 38 678 local kind-of-activity units within retail trade accounted for 57 per cent of the total number of units within wholesale and retail trade in 2008. These units accounted for 29 per cent of total turnover and 58 per cent of the total number of persons employed. The average turnover per unit was NOK 9.8 millions. Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores and Retail sale in non - specialised stores , had the highest averages with NOK 23 and 19.5 millions per unit respectively. Retail sale via stalls and markets and Retail trade not in stores , stalls and markets , had the lowest average turnover per unit, with NOK 0.9 and 2.6 millions respectively. Retail sale in non - specialised stores was, with an average of 10 persons, the industry within retail trade with most persons employed per unit.

Decline in turnover within wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

The local kind-of-activity units engaged in wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles had a total turnover of NOK 157.2 billion in 2008. This is a decline of 7.2 billion, or 4.4 per cent from 2007. The decrease is mainly due to a decrease of 7.7 per cent within Sale of motor vehicles , where turnover accounted for 66 per cent of the total turnover within the industry division.

The nearly 9 100 local kind-of-activity units engaged in wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles accounted for 13 per cent the total number of units within wholesale and retail trade in 2008. At the same time, they accounted for 12 per cent of both the turnover and the persons employed.

6 per cent growth in turnover within wholesale trade

The local kind-of-activity units within wholesale trade, except for motor vehicles and motorcycles, had a turnover of NOK 45.2 billion more in 2008 than in 2007. This corresponds to an increase of 6.1 per cent, which gives a total turnover of NOK 787.9 billion in 2008. The over 20 100 local kind-of-activity units within wholesale trade employed 114 281 persons, resulting in an increase of 3.4 per cent in the number of persons employed.

Tables:

• Table 1 Principal figures, by industry group. Local kind-of-activity units. 2007 and 2008
• Table 2 Principal figures, by number of persons employed and industry group. Local kind-of-activity units. 2008
• Table 3 Principal figures for the industrial section, by county. Local kind-of-activity units. 2008
• Table 4 Principal figures, by industry group. Enterprises. 2007 and 2008
• Table 5 Principal figures, by number of persons employed and industry group. Enterprises. 2008