Food retail had the leading role in the total turnover of businesses in 2021

Food retail may not have increased in 2021 compared to 2020, but it played a leading role, with a significant share - about one third - in total business turnover.

Monday, February 28, 2022

According to the data published by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) for the past year, the five sectors with the largest contribution to the 2021 annual turnover, were:

  • Retail sales in general stores that sell mainly food, beverages, or tobacco (28.6%),
  • Retail sales of fuel, in specialty stores (12.1%),
  • Sale of cars and light motor vehicles (9.3%),
  • Pharmaceuticals, in specialized stores (7.3%), and
  • Retail sales of clothing, in specialized stores (4.8%).

Retail sales return to pre-pandemic levels

Overall, according to the same data, there is a return of retail trade turnover to levels higher than before the pandemic.

The total sales of the retail sector reached 54.17 billion euros, recording an increase of 11.9% compared to 2020, where they had reached 48.40 billion euros and 2.3% compared to 2019.

According to the same data, watch - jewelry industry had the biggest sales growth, with an annual turnover increase of 47.5%, followed by the clothing industry with an increase of 43.8%.

Another important element that emerges from the study is that the upward trend started in the second quarter of 2021, achieving a turnover higher than that in 2019 and peaked in the fourth quarter of the previous year.

In all enterprises of the retail sector, the turnover in the fourth quarter of 2021 amounted to 15.12 billion euros, recording an increase of 18.4% compared to the fourth quarter of 2020, where it had reached 12.77 billion euros and increase of 3.4% compared to the third quarter of 2021, where it had reached 14.62 billion euros.

The activities that showed the largest increase in turnover in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the corresponding quarter of 2020 are:

Retail sales of clothing in specialized stores, an increase of 110.1%.

Retail trade of textiles, clothing, and footwear in outdoor stalls and markets, an increase of 94.1%.

The industries with the largest declines in turnover in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020 were:

  • Retail sales of telecommunication equipment in specialized stores decrease of 9.9%.
  • Retail sales of fruits and vegetables in specialized stores, a decrease of 4.3%.

Source: FoodReporter #0677/24-2-2022