Brisk sales of leisure boats in Vestfold

Retail sales of sporting goods, games and toys climbed 70 per cent in Vestfold in the second period of 1997 compared to the second period last year. The main reason for the surge is higher sales of leisure craft. Retail stores in Vestfold county saw sales increase by 11.3 per cent during the same period.

The increase in the Vestfold stores' turnover is significantly higher than the increase for the country as a whole, which was seven per cent. The runner-up to Vestfold was Østfold, with 8.5 per cent.

National retail sales amounted to NOK 28.8 billion in the second period of 1997. The three counties with the highest turnover are Oslo, Akershus and Hordaland, where sales totalled NOK 4.1, 3.1 and 2.7 billion, respectively.

Non-store retailing (e.g. mail order and marketplace) and the sale of used goods increased by 13.7 and 13.5 per cent in the second period of 1997 compared to the second period of 1996. Stores selling other new merchandise reported 10.6 per cent higher sales in the same period. New goods include clothing, shoes, electrical goods, furniture, hardware, paint and building materials. Retail sales of pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries grew 7.8 per cent. Retail sales in non-specialized stores, i.e. food, beverages and tobacco, and retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco in specialized stores, increased by 4.2 and 2.6 per cent respectively.

NOK 3 billion in increased retail sales

Retail trade increased by NOK 3 billion or 5.7 per cent in the first four months of 1997 compared to the same period last year. The index of retail sales increased by 4.6 per cent during the same period.

In the first four months retail trade in Vestfold county has grown the fastest, with 9.3 per cent. Stores in Rogaland and Hordaland also saw big increases in turnover, with 7.3 and 6.6 per cent respectively. Finnmark and Nord-Trøndelag have the lowest growth, with 0.1 and 0.7 per cent respectively.

Large decline in Finnmark

Sales, maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles and retail sales of automotive fuel increased by nearly five per cent in the second period of 1997 compared to the same period last year. Sales in this industry totalled NOK 24.2 billion in the second period of this year, up NOK 1 billion from the same period last year. Businesses in Vest-Agder, Rogaland and Buskerud have the largest growth in sales, with 10.2, 9.7 and 8.4 per cent. On the other hand businesses in Finnmark and Sør-Trøndelag saw sales decline by 5.8 and 2 per cent respectively in the same period.

New Statistics

Sales statistics. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles and personal and household goods. 2nd period 1997.
Statistics are published every other month in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. More information: Solveig Nygårdseter, tel. +47 62 88 51 74, e-mail: snl@ssb.no or Liv-Reidun Sletmoen, tel. +47 62 88 54 36.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 45, 1997