The decline in retail sales was expected, even at deeper levels, the Institute of Statistics reports as most trade and services units were closed during the two months, April and May.

As expected, the COVID-19 pandemic hit retail industry. Data from the Institute of Statistics show that in the second quarter of this year, sales volume in retail trade decreased by 8.3%, compared to the same period a year earlier.

In retail trade, excluding hydrocarbon retail trade, sales volume decreased by 4.5%, while in the group "Hydrocarbon trade in specialized units", sales volume shrank by 18.3% . The increase in sales was observed only in food. In the group "Food, beverages, tobacco", the sales volume increased by 1.4%, while the sales volume for the group "Non-food items" decreased by 8.7%.

But even after quarantine, the level of sales remains a problem, due to the contraction of consumption from financial problems that many families are going through, but also the strong uncertainties caused by the crisis.