Estonia's retail sales increased at a significantly faster rate in March, owing mainly to higher sales of grocery, data released by Statistics Estonia showed Tuesday.
Retail sales volume, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, advanced 7 percent year-on-year in March, notably faster than the 2 percent gain seen in February. In January, the rate of growth was 4 percent.
The acceleration in growth was driven mainly by a 5 percent increase in sales at grocery stores, influenced by discount sales campaigns and a deceleration in the price increase of food products. Sales in stores selling manufactured goods increased 7 percent year-on-year, and trade in automotive fuel climbed 17 percent.
Sequentially, trade in the retail sector rose a seasonally and working-day adjusted 3 percent in March. On an unadjusted basis, sales climbed 15 percent.
During the three months ended March, retail sales volume increased 4.6 percent from the corresponding period of the previous year.
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