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Polish retail sales plunge as virus bites

22.05.2020 10:30
Retail sales in Poland plunged 22.9 percent in April at constant prices compared with the same month a year earlier, the country’s Central Statistical Office (GUS) said on Friday.
Zamknięta galeria handlowa
Zamknięta galeria handlowaPAP/Andrzej Grygiel

As the world struggles to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, sales of clothing and shoes plummeted by 63.4 percent in Poland in year-on-year terms, and those of motor vehicles went down by 54.4 percent, the state-run statistics agency reported.

Among other goods, sales of furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances decreased by 16 percent, while sales of food, beverages and tobacco products fell by 14.9 percent, according to the Central Statistical Office.

In terms of current prices, retail sales last month were 22.6 percent lower than in April 2019, the statistics office also said.

It added that, in month-on-month terms, retail sales in April were 12.3 percent lower than in March.

Poland in mid-March temporarily closed its borders to non-residents in a move to curb the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

In another move to contain the epidemic, the government limited the operations of shopping malls and closed all pubs, clubs and entertainment venues.

The lockdown has affected many businesses and service providers.

Some restrictions were relaxed last month, and hotels and shopping malls were allowed to reopen in early May as the country moved to the next phase of easing its coronavirus lockdown.

Restaurants, bars and cafes were allowed to reopen to customers this week with new safety protocols in place.

As the economy emerges from a coronavirus lockdown, consumer sentiment in the country has edged up in May after a severe slump a month earlier, according to the Polish statistics office.

(gs/pk)

Source: PAP