Internal trade

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In September 2024, the volume of retail trade in both raw and calendar-adjusted data was 1.7% higher than in the same month of the previous year. Compared to the same period of the previous year, calendar-adjusted sale volumes grew by 1.5% in specialized and non-specialized food shops, by 5.7% in non-food retailing and fell by 5.0% in automotive fuel retailing. According to seasonally and calendar adjusted data, the volume of retail sales decreased by 1.4% compared to the previous month, also affected by the flooding situation. In January–September 2024, the volume of sales – also according to calendar adjusted data – was 2.7% higher than in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The performance of the Hungarian economy increased in the 1st semester of 2024 by 1.3%, year-on-year. Most services offering sections as well as construction contributed to the growth, while industrial performance lessened. Household consumption thrived, supported by real earnings growth, while the growth pace of consumer prices slowed down in the 1st semester of 2024 to 3.7%. Labour market-wise employment rate continued to grow, however unemployment rate increased, too.

The yearbook provides an overview of Hungary's demographic, social and economic processes, environmental characteristics and their changes over time, with the help of tens of thousands of data of 500 tables, graphs and maps. Innovatively, the Tourism, catering chapter in the volume includes the gross receipts of tourist accommodation establishments by type of accommodation. Another change is that this year the Regional data chapter already presents territorial data by tourism area, giving greater emphasis to tourist destinations.

Geopolitical tensions continued to overshadow economic developments in 2023, with the gross domestic product falling by 0.9%. Inflationary pressures gradually eased, but the 17.6% annual increase in consumer prices led to a decline in real earnings and consumption, and negatively affected investment decisions. Despite the economic difficulties, employment has reached a record high. In 2023, the number of deaths and births continued to fall, in addition to the decrease in the number of women of childbearing age.

The tables and graphs in the latest edition of the Statistical Pocketbook of Hungary provide a comprehensive insight into the evolution of social and economic trends in Hungary in 2023. Its international chapter allows for comparisons of major data primarily on member states of the European Union. The publication amasses, starting this year, commercial, private and other accommodation establishments in one unit.

The volume of retail sales in 2023 fell by 7.9% compared to the previous year, with the biggest decline of nearly 20% in automotive fuel stations, while sales volumes in specialized and non-specialized food shops and non-food retailing fell by 4.7% and 6.2% respectively. At the end of June 2023, the number of retail shops was down by 6.4%, or around 7,000 fewer than a year earlier.

Datasets from the Dissemination Database regarding settlements and Budapest’s districts have been updated with 2022 data, as such settlement and district related data for 2022 are available since 31 August, concerning data on national tobacco shops.