According to the latest statistics from Statistics Sweden (SCB), the retail sales volume in Sweden decreased by 0.3 percent in June compared to the previous month, when adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects. Notably, sales in non-grocery retail (sällanköpsvaruhandeln) and grocery retail (dagligvaruhandeln) excluding Systembolaget (the state-owned alcohol retail monopoly) both experienced a 0.4 percent decline.
During the past three months (April-June), the calendar-adjusted and seasonally-adjusted retail sales volume was 0.2 percent higher than the previous three-month period (January-March). Non-grocery retail showed a slight decline of 0.1 percent, while grocery retail excluding Systembolaget recorded a 1.4 percent increase.
In a year-on-year comparison, the retail sales volume in June 2023 decreased by 4.4 percent, when adjusted for calendar effects. Non-grocery retail experienced a more significant decline of 6.0 percent, while grocery retail excluding Systembolaget saw a 2.6 percent decrease.
Furthermore, without calendar adjustments, the retail sales volume in June 2023 decreased by 3.5 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. Non-grocery retail declined by 5.6 percent, and grocery retail excluding Systembolaget decreased by 1.6 percent.
Despite the decline in sales volume, the retail turnover in current prices increased by 6.5 percent in June 2023 compared to June 2022. Non-grocery retail turnover increased by 2.3 percent, while grocery retail excluding Systembolaget experienced a significant surge of 12.2 percent.
It is important to consider that the statistical unit for economic activities has undergone changes from the reference year 2023 to improve the functional statistics describing individual economic activities, such as turnover in service industries.
Additionally, given the current situation of price increases, consumers may adjust their consumption patterns and opt for cheaper products, potentially leading to a slight underestimation of fixed-price index figures in retail statistics, especially for grocery retail but possibly also for other industry groups.