MADRID, 29 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Retail trade registered an increase in sales of 4.5% in October compared to the same month in 2022, a rate 1.6 points lower than that of the previous month and the most moderate since last February, as reported by this Wednesday the National Institute of Statistics (INE).

With the October data, retail sales have had eleven consecutive months of positive interannual rates.

Within the sector, sales of food products rose 1.2% year-on-year, while sales of other products increased 11.9% compared to October 2022, with increases of 12.3%, 10 .3% and 0.3% in sales of other goods, personal equipment and household equipment, respectively.

By distribution modes, the greatest year-on-year increase in sales was recorded by large chains (9.5%), followed by small chains (5.9%), single-location companies (4.2%) and large stores ( 0.3%).

Eliminating seasonal and calendar effects, retail trade turnover increased by 5% in the tenth month of the year, a rate 1.3 points lower than that of September.

SALES DOWN 0.2% IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

In monthly terms (October over September), retail trade reduced its sales by 0.2% in the seasonally adjusted series, thus ending seven consecutive months of increases.

By product, food sales fell 2.7% in October compared to the previous month, while those of other products advanced 0.1% thanks to sales of household equipment (1.7%). and other goods (0.4%).

By distribution modes, all of them reduced their monthly sales in the tenth month of the year, except for single-location companies, which increased them by 0.3%. The largest decrease was recorded by large chains (-1%), followed by large stores (-0.8%) and small chains (-0.6%).

EMPLOYMENT GROWS BY 1.5%

Regarding employment, the sector registered a year-on-year increase in employment of 1.5% in October, a rate one tenth lower than that of September. With this rebound, employment in retail trade has now accumulated 30 consecutive months of year-on-year increases.

The greatest year-on-year increase in employment is observed in large chains (3.1%), followed by large stores (1.4%), single-location companies (0.8%) and small chains (0.7%). .

In monthly terms, employment in the sector fell 0.9%, highlighting the declines in small chains (-2.6%) and service stations (-1.8%).

ALL COMMUNITIES INCREASE THEIR SALES

Retail sales rose at an annual rate in all autonomous communities during the month of October.

The largest increases were recorded in the Balearic Islands (8.8%), Madrid (5.9%) and the Valencian Community (5.8%), while the most moderate increases occurred in Galicia (1.8%) and Navarra and Castilla y León, both with an advance of 1.9%.

For its part, retail trade employment increased in eleven communities at an annual rate, with the Balearic Islands (3.2%) and the Valencian Community (2.9%) leading the increases.

At the other extreme, three regions plus Ceuta cut their retail workforce compared to October 2022: La Rioja (-2%), Ceuta (-1.5%), Asturias (-0.4%) and Navarra (-0.2%).

For its part, employment in retail trade did not experience any variation compared to October 2022 in the communities of the Basque Country, Cantabria and Extremadura.