News

The retail trade sector of the Basque Country registered a 5.3% rise in nominal sales in the first quarter of 2010 with regard to the same period of the previous year, according to Eustat data.

The sector’s sales, not including service stations, were up by 4.2% with respect to the same quarter of the previous year.

With respect to the previous quarter, the sales index increased by a nominal 2.8%, once any seasonal effects had been eliminated.

By sectors, specialist retail trade nominal sales rose by 7.8% in the first quarter of 2010, while non-specialist ones were up by 0.8% with regard to the same period of 2008.

The performance of the Household Equipment sector was particularly noteworthy as it posted nominal growth of 11.7%. Food Product sales rose by 7.7%, Other Consumer Goods were up by 7.1% and the Personal Equipment sector posted increased sales of 4.4%.

By provinces, the highest growth in retail sector nominal sales, in the first quarter of 2010, was in Gipuzkoa, with a 7.0% year-on-year increase. Bizkaia increased its nominal saes by 4.8% and Álava by 3.6%.

In constant prices, that is, without the price effect, retail trade sales rose by 4.4% in the first quarter

Retail sales, without including service stations, posted real growth of 4.7% with respect to the previous year.

In the first quarter of 2010, retail trade real sales increased by 2.3% in the Basque Country, compared to the fourth quarter of 2009, once any seasonal effects had been eliminated.

The real increase was 5.7% in the case of specialist and 0.9% for non-specialist retail trade with respect to the same quarter of 2009.

Year-on-year performances within specialised retail trade were positive in all its sectors: Household Equipment rose by 11.3%, Food Product sales were up by 9.2%, Personal Equipment posted a real increase of 5.8% and Other Consumer Goods increased by 1.3%, all in real terms.

As far as non-specialist retail trade was concerned, year-on-year sales of the food sub-sectors rose by 1.1%, while those coming under Other Products were down by 0.3%, in constant euros.

The three provinces posted positive increases in real terms. Gipuzkoa grew by 5.8%, Bizkaia by 4.3% and Álava by 1.4%.

The number of people employed in the retail trade sector in the Basque Country overall in the first quarter of 2010 was up by 1.7% on the fourth quarter of 2009.