Press Release: Retail Trade Indices (RTI). March 2024. Provisional data.

Main results

The annual rate of the General Retail Trade Index at constant prices stood at 0.6% in the seasonal and calendar adjusted series.
The monthly variation in retail sales at constant prices was -0.5% after seasonal and calendar adjustment.
Employment in retail trade increased by 2.2% in annual rate.

More information

Tables annex (includes information on CCAA and original and adjusted series by sectors)
Detailed results (monthly and annual data)

In March, the General Retail Trade Index at constant prices, once adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects, registered a variation of 0.6% as compared with the same month of the previous year. This rate was 1.2 points lower than the one registered in February.

The original RTI series at constant prices registered an annual variation of -1.6%, this rate was 6.5 points below the rate of the previous month.

Retail Trade General Index at constant prices

Annual rates. Percentage

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      "-0.7",
      "5.4",
      "4.7",
      "2.1",
      "-0.3",
      "4.0",
      "1.8",
      "0.0",
      "-2.2",
      "0.8",
      "2.9",
      "0.4",
      "4.3",
      "1.6",
      "3.4",
      "3.5",
      "3.1",
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      "4.9",
      "-1.6"
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      "2.0",
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      "0.9",
      "-2.6",
      "1.2",
      "3.3",
      "0.5",
      "4.0",
      "3.3",
      "1.2",
      "2.9",
      "3.5",
      "1.5",
      "1.2",
      "2.3",
      "3.5",
      "2.7",
      "0.4",
      "1.8",
      "0.6"
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Monthly trend of sales in retail trade

The monthly variation of the RTI between the months of March and February, stood at -0.5%. This rate was one point lower than the previous month.

General Retail Trade Index at constant prices

Seasonally and calendar adjusted. Monthly rate. Percentage

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      "-2.7",
      "2.2",
      "1.2",
      "-1.2",
      "-0.5",
      "1.3",
      "0.1",
      "-0.5",
      "0.0",
      "-0.1",
      "1.8",
      "-0.9",
      "0.7",
      "1.5",
      "-0.9",
      "0.4",
      "0.1",
      "-0.6",
      "-0.2",
      "0.5",
      "1.2",
      "-0.8",
      "-0.5",
      "0.5",
      "-0.5"
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All distribution classes showed negative monthly rates, except for Large chain stores which increased (0.2%). Department stores registered the greatest decrease (-1.4%).

The general index, excluding service stations, recorded a monthly rate of -0.2%. By products, Food decreased by 1.0% and Non-food products by 0.3%.

Sales indices at constant prices. General and by type of product. March 2024

Seasonally and calendar adjusted. Monthly rate. Percentage

Results by Autonomous Community

Retail sales at constant prices decreased in the annual rate in 11 Autonomous Communities in March and increased in six.

General indices at constant prices: national and by Autonomous City and Community. March 2024

Annual sales rate. Percentage

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        "Murcia, Región de",
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        "País Vasco",
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            "-3.2",
            "-3.0",
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            "-1.1",
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            "1.3",
            "1.7",
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Employment trend

In March, the employment index in the retail trade sector registered a variation of 2.2% as compared to the same month of 2023. This rate was one tenth above that recorded in February.

Employment indices: General and by distribution type. March 2024

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Revisions and update of data

On the press release day, INE has updated RTI data series corresponding to the last three months. In the case of calendar adjusted and seasonally and calendar adjusted series, according to INE standard, series are revised since its beginning. Results are available on INEbase.

Nota metodológica

The main objective of the Retail Trade Indices (RTI) is to ascertain the fundamental characteristics of the companies engaged in retail trade in Spain, which make it possible to measure, in the short term, the trend of activity in the sector.

Survey type:: continuous monthly survey.
Base year:: 2021.
Population scope:: companies whose main activity is included within division 47 of the CNAE-2009 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles.
Geographical scope:: the whole country.
Sample size:: Approximately 12,000 companies.
Type of sampling:: stratified random sampling.
Collection method:: fill in a questionnaire by the respondent using one of the following methods: internet (IRIA system), e-mail, fax, telephone or by post.

Further information is available in the methodology and in the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information in Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.