Istat data on trade records an increase in retail sales in January, with a seasonally adjusted index growth of 0,7% compared to December: this is the sign of a recovery after the disappointing results of the previous two months. Compared to January 2011, the raw index of total sales instead marks a drop of 0,8%. If instead we consider the average of the quarter November-January 2012, the index decreased by 0,8% compared to the previous three months.
Compared to December 2011, sales of both food products increased (+1,2%), both for non-food ones (+0,5%). While comparing the data with those of January 2011, the raw index of total sales marks a drop of 0,8%. An increase of 0,1% in the sales of food goods while those of non-food goods decreased by 1,2%.
Using the form of distribution as a parameter of analysis, sales in large-scale distribution increased slightly (+0,2%), while those of companies operating on small surfaces decreased (-1,5%). In trend terms, sales of food products increase in large-scale distribution (+1,0%) and decrease in companies operating on small surfaces (-1,3%). Sales of non-food products decreased in both sectors (-0,5% and -1,5% respectively).
