Swiss retail trade turnover falls in November

According to the report from Federal Statistical Office (FSO), turnover adjusted for sales days and holidays fell in the retail sector by 0.7% in nominal terms in November 2019 compared with the previous year. Seasonally adjusted, nominal turnover fell by 0.3% compared with the previous month.

Real turnover adjusted for sales days and holidays remained stable in the retail sector in November 2019 compared with the previous year. Economists had expected a 0.4% increase. Real growth takes inflation into consideration. Compared with the previous month, real, seasonally adjusted retail trade turnover registered a decline of 0.1%.

Adjusted for sales days and holidays, the retail sector excluding service stations showed a stagnation in nominal turnover in November 2019 compared with November 2018 (in real terms +0.5%). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered a decline in nominal turnover of 0.1% (in real terms +0.9%), whereas the non-food sector registered a nominal negative of 0.2% (in real terms +0.6%).

Excluding service stations, the retail sector showed a seasonally adjusted decline in nominal turnover of 0.1% compared with the previous month (in real terms 0.0%). Retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco registered a plus of 1.3% (in real terms +1.4%). The non-food sector showed a minus of 1.0% (in real terms -0.8%).