Sales in Basque large stores fell by 2.4% in March of 2008

amplify image

Large Store. Photo: EiTB

Sales registered in the large stores of the A.C. of the Basque Country in March 2008 experienced a nominal inter-annual decrease of 2.4% in homogenous terms of the working calendar, according to Eustat data. Once the inflationary effect of prices had been deducted, the inter-annual rate for March fell by 6.8% in constant euros.

In comparison with the previous month, February 2008, sales figures, once de-seasonalised, showed an inter-monthly rise of 1.3% in nominal terms and a 0.8% rise in constant prices.

Sales of food products in the A.C. of the Basque Country offered nominal inter-annual growth of 5.5% and those corresponding to other articles experienced a 6.8% fall. In real terms, sales of food products decreased by 1.6% and sales of other products fell by 9.5 %.

The nominal decreases in sales were seen in the provinces of Álava (-8.0%) and Bizkaia (-2.5%), while in Gipuzkoa they increased by 1.7%. In real terms, the large stores in all three provinces registered negative inter annual variations: Álava (-12.0%), Bizkaia (-6.6%) and Gipuzkoa (-3.3%).

Sales in the large stores of Álava obtained an inter-monthly decrease of 0.9% (March 2008 in relation to February 2008) in current prices and a fall of 1.6% in constant terms.

Sales in the large stores of Bizkaia increased in March, compared to February, by 2.1% in current terms and they also increased by 1.6% in the same inter-monthly period in constant terms.

The inter-monthly rise in sales in the large stores of Gipuzkoa for March was a nominal 0.9%, which becomes an increase of 0.5% in constant euros.

The number of personnel employed in large store establishments experienced a 0.7% decrease in March of 2008 in relation to February 2008 with a negative variation in all three provinces. It fell by 0.5% in Álava, by 0.7% in Bizkaia and by 0.6% in Gipuzkoa.