Retail trade index
How is the retail trade sector in Denmark performing? Is retail activity rising or falling? Is turnover increasing due to higher prices, or are higher volumes being sold? Which industries are driving growth in retail trade? Retail trade refers to sales made by stores to private consumers. The retail trade index shows the monthly development in turnover across various industries within Danish retail.
Selected statistics on Retail trade index
Monthly development in Retail Trade
The survey is based on a sample of Danish retail trade enterprises. The sample includes approximately 2,200 enterprises, and at the time of the first publication, the figures for a month are based on responses from approximately 1,800 of these enterprises for the initial publication.
The sample consist of 33 subgroups and enterprises are sampled based on their share of the yearly turnover for the given subgroup. The companies are ranked from largest to smallest and the companies, whose rank constitutes the bottom 10 pct. of turnover for their subgroup when summed, are never selected to participate. The companies whose rank lies between 11 and 49 pct. of the subgroup’s yearly summed turnover, are randomly selected to participate. Lastly, the larger firms whose turnover altogether lies in the top 50 pct. of the yearly turnover for their subgroup are always included in the sample. The companies are selected based on VAT-declarations to the Danish tax administration.
Monthly development in Retail Trade by industry
| 2026M03 | 2026M04 | 2026M05 | 2026M06 | 2026M07 | 2026M08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity indices seasonally adjusted | ||||||
| Retail trade | 104.8 | 103.0 | 104.1 | 104.7 | 105.7 | 105.1 |
| Supermarkets, department stores and specialised grocery stores | 99.3 | 97.0 | 98.9 | 98.1 | 98.5 | 98.1 |
| Liquid fuel filling stations | 78.8 | 75.0 | 68.9 | 72.3 | 72.6 | 72.1 |
| Retail trade of consumer electronics | 136.2 | 133.8 | 133.1 | 142.1 | 141.8 | 146.6 |
| Retail trade of household equipment, furniture, building materials, etc. | 100.6 | 97.6 | 97.7 | 100.8 | 103.5 | 100.7 |
| Retail trade of cultural and leisure products | 121.3 | 123.2 | 125.3 | 125.4 | 127.4 | 127.0 |
| Retail trade of clothing, footwear and jewellery | 116.2 | 117.8 | 119.6 | 120.3 | 120.7 | 120.6 |
| Pharmacies and retail trade of personal care products, etc. | 129.9 | 130.0 | 133.0 | 130.9 | 133.1 | 134.0 |
| Retail trade of second-hand goods, etc. | 166.9 | 166.3 | 167.1 | 169.9 | 168.9 | 168.4 |
The survey is based on a sample of Danish retail trade enterprises. The sample includes approximately 2,200 enterprises, and at the time of the first publication, the figures for a month are based on responses from approximately 1,800 of these enterprises for the initial publication.
The sample consist of 33 subgroups and enterprises are sampled based on their share of the yearly turnover for the given subgroup. The companies are ranked from largest to smallest and the companies, whose rank constitutes the bottom 10 pct. of turnover for their subgroup when summed, are never selected to participate. The companies whose rank lies between 11 and 49 pct. of the subgroup’s yearly summed turnover, are randomly selected to participate. Lastly, the larger firms whose turnover altogether lies in the top 50 pct. of the yearly turnover for their subgroup are always included in the sample. The companies are selected based on VAT-declarations to the Danish tax administration.
Value versus volume in retail growth
The survey is based on a sample of Danish retail trade enterprises. The sample includes approximately 2,200 enterprises, and at the time of the first publication, the figures for a month are based on responses from approximately 1,800 of these enterprises for the initial publication.
The sample consist of 33 subgroups and enterprises are sampled based on their share of the yearly turnover for the given subgroup. The companies are ranked from largest to smallest and the companies, whose rank constitutes the bottom 10 pct. of turnover for their subgroup when summed, are never selected to participate. The companies whose rank lies between 11 and 49 pct. of the subgroup’s yearly summed turnover, are randomly selected to participate. Lastly, the larger firms whose turnover altogether lies in the top 50 pct. of the yearly turnover for their subgroup are always included in the sample. The companies are selected based on VAT-declarations to the Danish tax administration.
On the statistics – documentation, sources and method
See the documentation of statistics to learn more:
The Retail Trade Index shows the development in turnover within the retail trade sector. The statistics is published monthly and is primarily used as short term indicator for private consumption as well as the general business cycle movement. The statistics have been compiled since 1940, but are comparable from 2015 onwards in their current form.