BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 15. Retail trade turnover in Azerbaijan grew by three percent on annual basis and reached 26.3 billion manat ($15.4 billion) in the first half of 2023, Trend reports.
In the reporting period, the turnover of food, beverages and tobacco products increased by 2.3 percent (up to 13.67 billion manat or $8.04 billion), and non-food products - by 4.2 percent (up to 11.5 billion manat or $6.7 billion).
According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, in the first half of this year, the population spent 52 percent of funds on the purchase of food products, 17.5 percent - for other non-food products, 12.5 percent on textiles, clothing and footwear, 5.6 percent on motor fuel, 4.6 percent on electrical goods and furniture, 4.4 percent on beverages and tobacco products, 2.4 percent on pharmaceutical goods and medicines, and one percent - for computers.
The cost of goods sold by economic entities of the private sector increased by three percent and amounted to 99.7 percent of the total retail trade turnover during the reporting period compared to the first six months of 2022.
Meanwhile, retail trade turnover in real terms grew year on year by 4.2 percent for markets and fairs, by 4.1 percent - for individual entrepreneurs, and by 0.1 percent for enterprises.
The average monthly turnover of retail trade in Azerbaijan per capita amounted to 432.5 manat ($254.4), including the turnover of food, beverages and tobacco products - 244 manat ($143.5), and non–food products - 188.5 manat ($110.8).
Azerbaijan's retail trade turnover reached 52.7 billion manat ($30.6 billion) in 2022, increasing by 3.1 percent against 2021. Out of the total trade activity, food, beverage, and tobacco turnover amounted to 29.4 billion manat, or $17.2 billion (growth of 2.3 percent), while non-food products – 22.8 billion manat, or $13.4 billion (growth of four percent).