Turkey: Retail sales volume up 9.6% in January

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's calendar-adjusted retail sales volume with constant prices rose 9.6% year-on-year in January, the country's statistical authority announced Friday.

"In the same month food, drinks and tobacco sales increased by 5.5%," TurkStat said.

Excluding automotive fuel, non-food sales surged 13.6%, while automotive fuel sales rose 5.8% over the same period.

Among non-food items, the volume of computers, books, and telecommunications equipment sales rose 19.2%, while textile, clothing, and footwear sales climbed 16.5%, medical goods and cosmetic sales went up 7.3%, and electronic goods and furniture sales increased 3.8% in the same period.

Sales by mail order and the internet climbed 34% year-on-year in January.

On a monthly basis, retail sales volume with constant prices fell 0.8% in January, TurkStat said.