Retail sales rose by 9.7 %

For 10 months, the volume of retail sales of goods amounted to 15.6 billion manat, which is 9.7 % more than in the same period of 2012. By estimates of the State Statistics Committee, the share of sales of non-food products increased by 4 % to 48.2 %.

The Department of Commerce of the State Statistics Committee told Turan that the downward trend in sales of food products in the structure of the retail trade is related to change in the attitude of the population to consumption. "Over the past 10 years, the scope and range of catering services has increased considerably. This can be inferred from the look of cafes and restaurants in the evening. Many families eat in cafes and spend less on buying food," the SSC employee explained the trend in retail sales to Turan.

Note that the information on retail sales is based on the statistical data obtained from the subjects of trade. Experts guess that the data can not be taken lightly, as the basic information on trade is flawed. In Azerbaijan, information on retail sales is based on data obtained from legal persons (12.2%), trade fairs and markets (38%) and individuals (49.8 %). Traffickers hide the real volume of sales, as they might otherwise be subject to the payment of VAT. In addition, they provide the ratio of food and non-food products in the sales to local statistical authorities at their own discretion, as there is no responsibility for the rejection, as provided for in, say, the tax laws. - 08D-