Crafty Figures of State Statistics Committee

The State Statistics Committee informs that in January-October, local consumers of goods and services spent 23.9 billion manat. In absolute figures growth of 2.1% over the same period last year was recorded, while taking into account the devaluation of the manat in December last year (minus 38% to the US dollar). There is the fall in the solvency of the population.

Nearly half (49.8%) of the retail trade turnover fell on food, beverages and tobacco (+ 3% by November 1 of the previous year), 17.5% - on clothing, yarns, fabrics and footwear, 6.6% - on appliances and furniture, 5.7% - on motor fuel, 1.4% - on pharmaceuticals, 0.8% - on computers, ICT equipment and printed materials, and the rest 17.9% - on other non-food goods.

Experts believe the State Statistics Committee methodology for counting is invalid due to the fact that the double, as in the case of Azerbaijan, devaluation fuels the inflationary processes, resulting in the poor mostly redirecting their spending on food. Mid layers also sell even "extra" property and "unnecessary" businesses.

In addition, the State Statistics Committee publishes gross figures, without gradation of social strata of consumers of goods and services, taking into account their degree of social protection. --17D-