Retail turnover last year beat 2019
Retail commerce enjoyed a full rebound in turnover last year, as its takings exceeded those recorded in the last year before the pandemic, though that was mainly thanks to the impressive performance of specific sectors, such as supermarkets, car sales, pharmacies and computers, and was not universal.
More traditional segments of retailing with many enterprises, such as apparel, may have seen a significant recovery in 2021 from 2020 but remained far below the 2019 levels.
According to figures issued by the Hellenic Statistical Authority yesterday, total turnover in retail commerce amounted to 54.14 billion euros in 2021, up by 11.9% compared to 2020 and 2.34% compared to 2019. In 2020 retail turnover had come to €48.39 billion and in 2019 it had amounted to €52.9 billion.
Supermarkets in particular saw their turnover grow from €14.34 billion in 2019 to €15.48 billion, while car sales made €5.04 billion last year against €4.73 billion two years earlier.
On the other hand clothing sales saw turnover grow to €2.5 billion in 2021 from €1.8 billion in 2020, but it did not reach the €2.8 billion registered in 2019. Likewise, cosmetics earned €749 million compared to more than €1 billion in 2019.
