Retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices for January 2008 showed a marginal increase of 0.2% compared with January 2007, after two consecutive decreases at the end of 2007.
The negative growth rates for November 2007 compared with November 2006 (-0.2%) and December 2007 compared with December 2006 (-0.5%) were the first decreases in real terms in more than six years.
Retail trade sales at constant (2000) prices, for the three months up to January 2008, showed a decrease of 0.2% compared with the three months up to January 2007.
Retail trade sales at current prices, for the three months up to January 2008, increased by 9.5% compared with the three months up to January 2007.
This is lower than the 14.9% increase for the corresponding period of 2007. Furthermore, retail trade sales at current prices, for January 2008, increased by 10.6% compared with January 2007.