In 2022, all components of internal trade had higher turnover.
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The mitigation of the pandemic was manifested in retail trade by the return of buyers to the traditional shopping, mainly specialized stores with other goods improved their turnover. Accommodation establishments were also doing well. However, year-round high inflation reduced the turnover of fuel.
Retail turnover for 2022 increased by 4.3% compared to the corresponding period last year. On a year-round basis, 6 out of 9 components of the retail trade had turnover at constant prices higher than a year ago.
Of the stores with a higher share of total retail turnover, specialized stores with other goods, including e.g. drugstores, but also shoe and textile stores. The turnover of these stores increased by 13.7% compared to 2021.
The turnover of hyper- and supermarkets also rose at a slower pace (by 3.6%). Gas stations were not doing well, their turnover decreased by 0.3%.
However, turnover in mail-order sales dropped by more than 5%, which was also associated with the cancellation of pandemic measures and the return of buyers to physical purchases in brick-and-mortar stores.
Of the less significant components of retail trade, stores with computers and equipment for information and communication technologies and stores with food, beverages and tobacco improved. In both, turnover rose by more than 14%.
Stores with goods for culture and recreation (e.g. toy stores, bookstores, sporting goods) and specialized stores with goods for the home (e.g. hobby markets, furniture and consumer electronics stores) also had a more moderate growth.
On the contrary, sellers in stalls and markets in the 12 months of last year had turnover lower by 7.4% than in 2021.
In summary for the year 2022, the year-on-year turnover increase was also recorded by wholesale by 16.2% and sale and repair of motor vehicles by 7%.
The relaxation of the measures associated with the pandemic was manifested by an almost two-fold increase of turnover in accommodation, and turnover in food and beverage service activities increased by about a fifth.
In December 2022, retail turnover increased by almost 3% year-on-year. In total, out of 9 components, 6 achieved higher turnover than a year ago. Of the stores that contribute significantly to retail turnover, specialized stores with other goods improved the most, their turnover increased by 17.4%.
At the end of the year, the turnover of gas stations also rose, by 6.4% in December.
Turnover growth continued in other components of internal trade, in wholesale by 10.7% and in the sale and repair of motor vehicles by 9.3%. Up to a threefold increase in turnover occurred in accommodation. Turnover in food and beverage service activities increased by 70%.
The month-on-month development in December 2022 compared to November
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In December 2022 compared to the previous month (with November 2022) turnover rose in the accommodation sector by 6%, in retail by 1.4% and in wholesale by 0.4%.
It dropped month-on-month in food and beverage service activities by 1.1% and in sale and repair of motor vehicles by 1.6%. ■