Press release No. 433 of 30 October 2020
Retail turnover, September 2020 (provisional)
-2.2% on the previous month (in real terms, calendar and seasonally adjusted)
-2.6% on the previous month (in nominal terms, calendar and seasonally adjusted)
+6.5% on the same month a year earlier (in real terms)
+7.7% on the same month a year earlier (in nominal terms)
WIESBADEN – According to provisional data, turnover in retail trade in September 2020 was in real terms 2.2% and in nominal terms 2.6% (both adjusted for calendar and seasonal influences) lower than in August 2020.
In September 2020, the turnover in retail rose by 6.5% (real) and 7.7% (nominal) compared to the same month of the previous year, where the September 2020 had one day of sale more. In comparison to February 2020, the month before the outbreak of Covid 19 in Germany, the turnover in September 2020 was 2.8% higher.
Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco were in real terms 6.8% and 9.6% in nominal terms higher in September 2020 than in September 2019. Turnover in retail sale in supermarkets, self-service department shops and hypermarkets were in real terms 7.0% and in nominal terms 9.7% higher than in the same month last year. In addition, the retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores generated in real terms 4.9% and in nominal terms 8.3% more turnover.
In the non-food retail sector, sales in September 2020 rose in real terms by 6.5% and in nominal terms by 7.0% compared with the same month previous year. The largest increase in turnover compared with the previous year's month in real terms by 21.2% and 22.3% in nominal terms was achieved by the internet and mail order business. Trade in furniture, household appliances and building materials also increased, with a real plus of 11.1%. Trade in textiles, clothing, shoes and leather goods as well as the retail trade in various types of goods (e.g. department stores) did not yet return to the previous year's level, with real growth of -7.3% and -9.9% respectively over the previous year.
European data on retail trade
Results on retail trade in other EU countries are contained in the Eurostat’s database. At the moment the database includes data for almost all countries for September 2020.
Methodical notes
The differing comparative periods must be taken into account in all press releases on short-term indicators. Short-term economic monitoring focuses on comparisons with the previous month or previous quarter. These reflect short-term economic trends. A comparison with the previous year is intended to offer a long-term comparison of levels and is not subject to seasonal fluctuations. During the current coronavirus crisis, the strong decreases especially in March/April 2020 and the emerging recovery may produce highly different results for the comparison with the previous month/previous quarter and the comparison with the previous year. Both of the two perspectives are important: what is the short-term economic trend compared with the previous month/previous quarter, and how far has the catching-up process gone compared with the previous year’s level? In order to provide also a direct comparison with the pre-crisis level, all press releases on short-term indicators available in calendar and seasonally adjusted form will, for the time being, include a comparison with February 2020 or the 4th quarter of 2019.
Further informations
The revision tables provide information about the impact of the updates on the results.
Crisis Monitor enables comparison between corona crisis and financial and economic crisis
Retail turnover also forms part of the “Crises monitor“ (www.destatis.de/krisenmonitor), by means of which the Federal Statistical Office compares the development of major short-term indicators in the corona crisis and the financial and economic crisis of 2008/2009. The “Crisis Monitor” complements the Corona statistics webpage, which has provided statistical information on the economic and social consequences of the coronavirus pandemic since early April.
German EU Council Presidency
As of 1 July, the Federal Statistical Office has been responsible for organising the meetings of the Council Working Party on Statistics to be held during Germany’s EU Council Presidency under the chairmanship of its President Dr. Georg Thiel. Information on our activities during the Presidency of the Council of the EU is provided at destatis.de/eu2020.
