BUDAPEST: Retail sales in Hungary saw a year-on-year rise of 4.4% in April, following a rise of 6.5% in March, preliminary data released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH) today reveal.
Adjusted for calendar effects, the volume of sales rose by 1.6% in food, drinks and tobacco stores, by 7.8% in non-food retail trade and by 9.3% in automotive fuel retailing, KSH said. In January-April 2015, the volume of sales – also according to calendar adjusted data – was 6.4% higher than in the corresponding period of the previous year, the report added.
KSH noted that legislation requiring most big retailers to remain closed on Sundays came into force in mid-March, but said that more time and data were needed to measure the effects of the new rule. Analysts queried by news agency MTI said retail sales growth could continue, but the pace of the increase will probably slow down in the remaining part of the year.
