In 2019, 220.5 thousand enterprises operated in the Trade sector, with 814.2 thousand persons employed (+2.8%; +3.0% in 2018), responsible for a turnover of EUR 151.1 billion (+3.3%; +6.4% in 2018) and a gross value added of EUR 19.9 billion (+4.5%; +6.5% in 2018). The overall commercial margin of trade enterprises stood at EUR 27.2 billion and the margin per company stood at EUR 123.2 thousand, resulting in respective increases of 3.7% and 2.4% (+9.0% and +9.7% in 2018, in the same order). In 2019, trade enterprises accounted for 19.3% of persons employed, 36.6% of turnover and 19.1% of gross value added of the total non-financial enterprises. 

In 2019, the Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles Sector recorded increases of 1.5% in turnover (+7.5% in 2018), 1.7% in the commercial margin (+8.3% in 2018) and 3.6% in the persons employed (+4.0% in 2018). 

In Wholesale Trading enterprises, there were increases of 2.7% in the turnover (+7.1% in 2018) and 1.4% in the commercial margin (+5.9% in 2018). The number of persons employed increased by 2.3% (+3.3% in 2018). 

The Retail Trade maintained a growth in the turnover (+4.9%, as in 2018), with the most significant commercial margin evolution among the three trade divisions (+6.3%, after +12.5% in 2018). The number of persons employed increased by 2.9% (+2.7% in 2018). 

In 2019, 3,612 establishments classified as “Large-sized Commercial Units” were in activity in Portugal, of which 51.6% were mainly dedicated to non-food retail trade. These units reached a turnover of EUR 20.0 billion (+6.5%; +3.0% in 2018) and the number of persons employed stood at 124.5 thousand (+5.7%; +2.8% in 2018).

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