Retail sales dropped by 20.1 percent in January versus December. On a seasonally-adjusted basis, however, retail sales went up by a monthly 2.7 percent.
Year-on-year, food product, alcohol and tobacco retailers saw their sales rise by 10.2 percent and non-food retailers, excluding the cars-related sector, increased sales by 24.9 percent. Automotive fuel retailers posted an 11.8 percent rise in sales.
Month-on-month, food product sales fell by 18.9 percent, non-food product sales, by 25.4 percent, and automotive fuel sales, by 7.1 percent, at comparative prices.
Car and motorcycle wholesalers and retailers and repair service providers saw their sales increase by an annual 22.2 percent. Month-on-month, their sales were down by 11.2 percent to 528.6 million litas (ex-VAT).
Food and beverage service providers posted combined sales of 92.1 million litas (ex-VAT) last month, up by 37.5 percent from a year ago, but down by 9.5 percent month-on-month, the statistics office said.
