While food retailers' sales declined 0.8 percent, non-food retailers’ sales (excluding automotive fuel sales) jumped 9.1 percent month-on-month, and retail trade in automotive fuel rose 1.2 percent.
Compared to the previous month, the fastest turnover growth was observed in retail sale of clothing, footwear and leather goods (of 33.5 percent), retail sale in stalls or markets (23.2 percent) and retail sale of hardware, instruments, construction materials and sanitary equipment (17.6 percent).
The largest turnover drop was registered in retail sale via mail order houses or via the Internet (of 12.6 percent) and retail sale of information and communication equipment in specialized stores (8.1 percent).
Compared to March, the retailers' aggregate seasonally adjusted turnover in April grew 4.5 percent at current prices.
Calendar adjusted data (at constant prices) compiled by the CSB show that, compared to April 2020, in April 2021 total retail trade turnover increased by 15.6 percent. Turnover of retail trade in food products grew by 6.9 percent. Retail trade in non-food products (except for retail sale of automotive fuel) increased by 25.9 percent, and sales of automotive fuel – by 10.5 percent.
The CSB noted that in April 2020 there was a significant drop in retail trade due to Covid-19.
As compared to April 2020, the largest turnover growth was registered in retail sale of information and communication equipment in specialized stores (of 57.1 percent), retail sale of clothing, footwear and leather goods (45.9 percent) and retail sale in stalls or markets (44.8 percent).
The Latvian retailers' aggregate calendar-adjusted sales increased 19.4 percent at current prices against April 2020.
