Albania's retail sales went up by 3.9% y/y in the third quarter of 2019, accelerating from a 3.5% y/y increase in the previous quarter, according to seasonally unadjusted data published by the statistics office, INSTAT, on December 12.
The growth was boosted by retail sales of non-food products in both specialised and non-specialised stores, which contributed 1.9 pp to overall growth.
Compared with the previous quarter, seasonally adjusted retail sales went up by 2% in the third quarter, after increasing 2.1% q/q in 2Q19, data indicated.
In annual terms, retail sales excluding fuel sales expanded by 3.4% in the third quarter, decelerating from a 4.7% y/y increase in the previous quarter.
Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco in both specialised and non-specialised stores advanced 1.8% y/y, slowing down from a 5.7% y/y increase in the previous quarter.
Sales of non-food items increased by 4.6% y/y in the period under review, accelerating from a 4% hike in the previous quarter.
Fuel sales went up 5% y/y in 3Q19, following a 0.5% y/y increase in the previous quarter.