Retail sales continue to climb in May
Following the record increase in April, Swiss retailers were also able to sell more in May 2021. However, the increase is nowhere near as large as in April, when sales shot up by more than a third.
Overall, retail sales in Switzerland increased by 2.3 percent in May compared to the previous year, adjusted for calendar effects, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office FSO on Thursday. The stores were also able to sell more goods: Price-adjusted, i.e. in real terms, the increase was 2.8 percent.
At the pumps in particular, the cash registers were ringing. Sales at service stations shot up by a good 21 percent. This was due to massive price increases. After adjusting for price, service stations sold only around 1.9 percent more gasoline and diesel.
Less food and beverages sold
Excluding the flourishing service stations, the retail sector was only able to increase sales by 1.0 percent year-on-year in May, adjusted for sales days and public holidays (i.e. calendar-adjusted). Sales of food, beverages and tobacco in particular contracted by 4.7 percent.
By contrast, almost all industries in the non-food sector posted gains. First and foremost, the "other goods (clothing, pharmacies, watches and jewelry)" sector posted a sales increase of +18.4 percent. This was followed by the "information and communication technology equipment" sector, which posted a +7.5 percent increase in sales.
Publishing products, sports equipment and toys also gained 7.3 percent. Mail order and internet retailing, as well as publishing products, increased by 3.5 percent. Only the "other household appliances, textiles, DIY and home furnishings" sector (-3.0 percent) posted losses.
Kink after record increase in April
In the previous month of April, calendar-adjusted sales had still swelled by 36.8 percent in nominal terms compared with April 2020. This was the strongest increase since the start of the time series in January 2000. This was mainly due to the lockdown a year ago, when many stores were closed.
Now, May 2021 shows a nominal decline of 1.9 percent compared with the previous month of April. Adjusted for inflation, sales fell by 1.8 percent.
Both grocery stores and non-food stores suffered losses of around 3 percent each. Sales of other household appliances, textiles, DIY and home furnishings in particular contracted by a good 9 percent compared with the previous month of April.
By contrast, sales in the "information and communications technology" sector, which sells computers, cell phones and tablets, rose by over 8 percent. Sales of fuels at the pumps also climbed by almost 3 percent. (SDA)
