Press release

Retail trade turnover in March 2020 Swiss retail trade fell in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic by a marked 6.2%

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Swiss retail trade turnover rose in January 2024 by 0.6%

30.04.2020 - Turnover adjusted for sales days and holidays fell in the retail sector by 6.2% in nominal terms in March 2020 compared with the previous year. Seasonally adjusted, nominal turnover fell by 6.0% compared with the previous month. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, turnover slumped markedly in some sectors. These are provisional findings from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Real turnover adjusted for sales days and holidays fell in the retail sector by 5.6% in March 2020 compared with the previous year. Real growth takes inflation into consideration. Compared with the previous month, real, seasonally adjusted retail trade turnover registered a decline of 6.2%.

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%).


 

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Swiss retail trade fell in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic by a marked 6.2%
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Retail trade turnover in March 2020


 

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