Turkey: Retail sales volume down in July

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey's calendar-adjusted retail sales volume with constant prices dropped by 3.7% year-on-year in July, according to an official data on Monday.

Automotive fuel sales posted the highest annual decrease among main economic activities with 5%, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said.

While non-food sales fell by 4.5%, food, drinks and tobacco sales dropped 1%, TurkStat reported.

Among non-food, the volume of textile, clothing and footwear sales rose by 14.6%, and medical goods and cosmetic sales went up 2.6% in the same period.

Sales by mail orders and internet saw an annual increase of 15.2% in July.

Meanwhile, sales volume of the electronic goods and furniture dropped by 20.8%, and computers, books, and telecommunications equipment's sales volume decreased 7.5%.

- Retail turnover with current prices

TurkStat also revealed that the calendar-adjusted retail turnover with current prices jumped 13.2% in July, on a yearly basis.

"In the same month food, drinks and tobacco sales increased by 18%, non-food (except automotive fuel) sales increased by 13.7%, automotive fuel sales increased by 5.8%," it added.