France - Retail Sales

The French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) reports monthly detailed retail turnover indexes. These measure the monthly changes in sales for a particular sector and is the primary data used to monitor business cycles.

Active:

• Classification: NAF Rev. 2, localization of NACE Rev. 2
• Measurement:
  • Fixed-base volume index relative to 2015 (Vol. Index 2015=100) 
  • Fixed-base value index (INdex 2015=100)
• Adjustments:
  • Working day adjusted and seasonally adjusted (WDASA)
  • Not seasonally adjusted (NSA)
• Native frequency: Monthly
• Start date: Uniformly 1999m1

Predecessors:

• New sample and 2010=100 - 1999m1 to 2017m12 (no archive specifier) 
• Old sample and 2010=100 - 1995m1 to 2015m12 (no archive specifier) 
• NAF Rev. 2 and 2005=100 - 1995m1 to 2012m12 ("05") 
• NAF Rev. 1 and 2005=100

Data is broken down by activity according to the French classification of activities (NAF Rev. 2), a localization of NACE Rev. 2. The following is covered:

• Divisions (trade): 45, 46, 47
• Sections (service sectors): H, I, J, L, M, N, R, S
• Sections (industry and construction): B, C, D, E, F

Turnover indices fro export are based on the total amount of turnover reported by companies on exports outside of the EU and deliveries supplied within the EU. The indices are calculated from monthly returns of companies having their VAT Headquartered in France.

The raw data indices are calculated at the most detailed level of the classification of activities French: subclasses of NAF rev. 2. At this level, the index for month "m" is calculated by chaining the index of "m-12" to the change in turnover between "m-12" and "m". All companies that reported data in month "m" are included in the calculation. 

Calculations also take into account the business demography such as business failures, change of sector, births, and coporate resturcturing. These sturctural changes will most likely affect the sectoral outline of the VAT declarations.

The 2015=100 indices include a two-weighting system. Previous bases used a constant-weight system. 2010 weights are used for aggregation of indices between 1999 and 2012. 2015 weights are used for periods after 2012. Both series are then chained with a link coefficient on the year 2013. 

Annual weights are based on output by industry at basic prices that are included in the national accounts. This output includes subsidies on products, but does not include taxes. 

Geography coverage includes France (including overseas departments except for French Guyana and Mayotte). French Guyana and Mayotte are excluded because they are not liable for VAT.

Yes.

Also, the dataset is rebased every five years.

Further reading

At the source:

• Sources and methods - Turnover index / ICA