XN000022-1991-05-03 — Page 8

FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1991

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PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF RETAIL SALES SURVEY FOR FEBRUARY RELEASED

THE VALUE OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 1991 COMBINED INCREASED BY 10% WHILE THEIR VOLUME INCREASED BY 2% WHEN COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1990, ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

PROVISIONAL CENSUS AND

THE 2% INCREASE IN VOLUME WAS ACTUALLY MADE UP OF A DECREASE OF 7% IN JANUARY AND AN INCREASE OF 14% IN FEBRUARY.

THE LARGE INCREASE IN FEBRUARY WAS MAINLY DUE TO THE TIMING OF .IE LUNAR NEW YEAR, WHICH OCCURRED IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR BUT IN JANUARY LAST YEAR.

CHANGES IN THE VOLUME OF RETAIL SALES REFER TO CHANGES IN THE VALUES OF RETAIL SALES AFTER DISCOUNTING ESTIMATED CHANGES IN PRICES.

THE INDICATORS OF PRICE CHANGES USED FOR THE PURPOSE ARE THE RESPECTIVE COMPONENTS OF THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX WHICH CORRESPOND ΤΟ THE BROAD CATEGORY OF GOODS IN QUESTION,

COMPARING THE PERIOD JANUARY TO FEBRUARY 1991 WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1990, FUELS WENT UP BY 35% IN SALES VALUE AND 5% IN SALES RETAIL SALES OF FOODSTUFFS, ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO INCREASED BY 11% IN VALUE AND 2% IN VOLUME.

VOLUME, WHILE

ON THE SAME BASIS OF COMPARISON, CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS ROSE BY 12% IN SALES VALUE AND 4% IN SALES VOLUME, WHILE SALES OF CONSUMER DURABLES DECREASED BY 1% IN VALUE AND 6% IN VOLUME.

RETAIL SALES OF OTHER CONSUMER GOODS INCREASED BY 11% IN VALUE AND 5% IN VOLUME.

ANALYSED BY SELECTED TRADES, RETAIL SALES OF SUPERMARKETS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 1991 COMBINED WENT UP BY 14% IN VALUE AND 3% IN VOLUME AS COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1990.

CONSUMER DURABLES OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS INCREASED BY 10% IN SALES VALUE AND 4% IN SALES VOLUME.

IN

DEPARTMENT STORES SALES ROSE BY 2% IN VALUE BUT DROPPED BY VOLUME. MOTOR VEHICLES AND PARTS DECREASED BY 18% IN SALES VALUE AND 25% IN SALES VOLUME.

5%

COMPARING FEBRUARY 1991 WITH FEBRUARY 1990, TOTAL RETAIL SALES INCREASED BY 22% IN VALUE AND 14% IN VOLUME. RETAIL SALES OF FUELS GREW BY 37% IN VALUE AND 9% IN VOLUME, WHILE THAT OF FOODSTUFFS,

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO ROSE BY 35% IN VALUE AND 22% IN VOLUME.

ON THE SAME BASIS OF COMPARISON, RETAIL SALES OF CLOTHING, FOOTWEAR AND ALLIED PRODUCTS WENT UP BY 33% IN VALUE AND 23% VOLUME.

IN

/CONSUMER DURABLES