Swiss Retail Sales, March 2020: -6.2 percent Nominal and -5.6 percent Real

Retail trade including and excluding service stations

Adjusted for sales days and holidays, the retail sector excluding service stations showed a 4.5% decrease in nominal turnover in March 2020 compared with March 2019 (in real terms –4.0%). This resulted in reductions in turnover for service stations of 26% (in real terms –21.6%).

Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered an increase in both nominal and real turnover of 8.4%, whereas the non-food sector registered a nominal minus of 15.8% (in real terms –15.0%). The sectors “other household equipment, textiles, DIY and furniture” (–28.1%; in real terms –28.6%) and “cultural and recreation goods” (–20.0%; in real terms –20.7%) were most affected by the crisis. In contrast, the sector “information and communication equipment” was most successful (+16.1%; in real terms +24.9%).

Excluding service stations, the retail sector showed a seasonally adjusted decline in nominal turnover of 5.1% compared with the previous month (in real terms –5.3%). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered a plus of 3.8% (in real terms +2.8%). The non-food sector showed a minus of 14.2% (in real terms –14.3%).

Switzerland Retail Sales YoY, March 2020

Source: investing.com - Click to enlarge