France - Retail Sales

France: Retail Sales

Mnemonic	WRT.IFRA
Unit	Index 2015=100, WDASA
Adjustments	Working Day Adjusted and Seasonally Adjusted
	Monthly	20.86 %
Data	Dec 2020	121.6
	Nov 2020	100.61

Series Information

Source	French National Institute of Statistics and Economic studies (insee)
Release	Retail Sales
Frequency	Monthly
Start Date	1/31/1999
End Date	12/31/2020

France: Consumer

	Reference	Last	Previous	Units	Frequency
Consumer Confidence	Mar 2021	94	91	Balance of opinion; SA	Monthly
Real Retail Sales	Jan 2021	116.58	121.94	Vol. Index 2015=100, WDASA	Monthly
Retail Sales	Dec 2020	121.6	100.61	Index 2015=100, WDASA	Monthly

Release Information

Description

The French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) reports monthly retail turnover indices. Retail turnover indices measure the monthly changes in sales for a particular sector and is the primary data used to monitor business cycles. Figures are reported as 2015=100 indices, both working day and seasonally adjustd (WDASA) and not seasonally adjusted (NSA).

Methodology

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.

The data set is rebased every 5 years.

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.