Retail sales in Romania plunged by 19.5% in April compared to the same month last year, the statistics office INS announced. The closure of non-essential shops in commercial centers and the movement restrictions for the population have contributed to this decline, according to Romania-Insider.com.
The sales of footwear and clothing suffered the steepest plunge – 83.5%.
Food sales contracted by 4.7% year-on-year. The panic that pushed food sales up 17.7% year-on-year in March dissipated in April as the retail chains showed their capacity to offer a steady supply of necessary goods.
Non-food sales plunged by 22.8%, as the households abandoned the purchase of non-essential products such as footwear and clothing. Buyers were also more cautious due to lower or uncertain incomes. The sales of household goods (furniture, electronics) dropped by 25.2%.
The online sales, reported by INS as part of non-food sales (although this might not always be the case) surged by 75% year-on-year as the online retailers capitalized on the movement restrictions and offline retailers quickly adapted to the situation and boosted their online capabilities. As online sales are reported as a whole, their quick rise might mean the declines in other sectors (clothing, food) might have been smaller – part of them moving online where INS is not yet providing detailed data.
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