Gross profit same as in 1986

Overall gross profit on retail sales in 1996 was 22 per cent, which is identical to the result of a similar survey conducted in 1986.

Retailers sold NOK 250 billion worth of merchandise in 1996. Purchased at a total cost of NOK 195 billion, the overall gross profit was NOK 55 billion or 22 per cent of sales. In the 1986 survey, sales totalled NOK 161 billion and gross profit 22 per cent.

Gross profits of companies in the grocery sector were also the same in the two surveys, i.e. 19 per cent. Gross profits of shoe and clothing stores went up from 38 per cent in 1986 to 44 per cent in 1996. For sales of new cars, vans and light trucks, gross profits declined from 13 per cent in 1986 to nine per cent in 1996. Differences in industrial classifications and product groups make it difficult to compare more results from the two surveys.

Filling station profit on soft drinks triple that of stores

Enterprises in the "retail sale of automotive fuel" group, i.e. filling stations, make a 42 per cent gross profit on the sale of soft drinks and light beer. This is triple the rate of grocery stores, whose gross profit is 14 per cent.

Filling stations make a 30 per cent gross profit on the sale of food, beverages and tobacco. This is nearly double that of enterprises in the retail sales category "non-specialized stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating", whose gross profit was 18 per cent.

The gross profit of filling stations on ice cream is 35 per cent, and 33 per cent on chocolate, sweets, crisps and similar snacks. The corresponding figures for grocery stores are 22 and 23 per cent respectively.

New Statistics
Gross profit. Retail sales, 1996.
The statistics were last published in 1990 for the reference year 1986. For more information, contact: Trygve.Bernt.Martinsen@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 55 35.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 46, 1998