Retail sales decline 6.9 percent in April

Retail sales decline 6.9 percent in April

ANKARA

The calendar-adjusted retail sales volume index declined by 6.9 percent on an annual basis in April, the Turkish Statistics Institute (TÜİK) announced on June 18.

Food, beverage and tobacco sales were down 2.9 percent while non-food (excluding automotive fuel) dropped by 7.1 percent from a year ago.

The volume of textile, clothing and footwear sales rose by 5.6 percent and medical goods and cosmetic sales showed a 1.6 percent increase on an annual basis in April.

Sales by mail orders and internet jumped 18.6 percent, according to TÜİK data.

Electronic goods and furniture sales declined 22.4 percent in the month, while the sales volume index for computers, books and telecommunications devices fell by 6.9 percent in April from a year ago.

Data showed that the season and calendar-adjusted headline retail sales volume index was down 1.8 percent in April from the previous month.

Turnover rises

The statistics institute also said the calendar-adjusted retail turnover index - with current prices - jumped by 13.3 percent in April compared to the same month of last year while the index rose 0.2 percent on a monthly basis.

The turnover index for food, drinks and tobacco sales increased by 20.2 percent while the rise for non-food (excluding automotive fuel) sales was 12.9 percent.

In terms of turnover, automotive fuel sales were up 5 percent on an annual basis.

The turnover index for computers, books, and telecommunications equipment rose by 15.6 percent while the index in the electronic goods and furniture segment declined 0.7 percent in April from a year ago.

For the textile, clothing and footwear segment the turnover index increased 14 percent and mail orders and internet sales in current prices jumped 42.1 percent.