Press section
Latest data (february 2024) Annual rate (%)
Retail Sales (deflated) 4.8 Gráfica serie
Sales (deflated and seasonally adjusted) 1.9 Gráfica serie
Employment 2.1 Gráfica serie

Description

The objective of the Retail Trade Index (RTI) is to ascertain the evolution of the sales and employment in the retail trade sector in Spain, and fulfill the requirements established by Eurostat in the short-term study of this sector.
The information is collected from a sample of 12,000 companies located throughout the national territory, from which data is obtained by questionnaire, telephone, fax or online, regarding the gross monthly sales and the number of employed persons, referring to the last day of each month.
Gross sales are the total invoiced by the company in products sold in the exercise of its activity, including VAT.
The number of employed persons is made up of the total number of persons who work in the company on a certain date, contributing to the production of goods and services. This includes both remunerated and non-remunerated personnel.
Indices are calculated both on a national level and for the different Autonomous Communities.

Distribution classes

For the purpose of ascertaining the evolution of the different trade formulas, the retail trade index is broken down into four distribution classes: Department stores, Large chain stores, Small chain stores and Single retail stores, from which indices on sales and employment are obtained.
Department store: A department store is defined as any establishment that has a sales and exhibition area greater than or equal to 2500 metres square. Sales area is defined as any area that is accessible to the public and where sales transactions take place; it includes shop windows, display cabinets, shelves and hallways within the establishment.
Large chain store: A Large chain store is considered to be any company with 25 or more premises, and 50 or more employees.
Small chain store: A Small chain store is considered to be any company with more than one premises, except those with 25 or more premises and 50 or more employees.
Single retail stores: A Single retail store is considered to be that which carries out its commercial activity through a single premises.

Deflated and seasonally-adjusted indices

RTI indices are published at current, constant or deflated prices, as of the 2010 base change, seasonally-adjusted.
The deflated indices make it possible to study the evolution of the RTI by removing the effect that the prices have on sales. In turn, the seasonally-adjusted indices make it possible to analyse the sector once all calendar and seasonal effects have been removed.

RTI in base 2021

As of January 2024, the INE published the RTI data in the new 2021 base. In this base change the sample of companies collaborating by providing information and the weightings have been updated to more accurately represent the sector activity.