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Trade activity exceeded 2019 levels, highlighting the 4.3% increase in the commercial margin
Trade Enterprises
Trade activity exceeded 2019 levels, highlighting the 4.3% increase in the commercial margin - 2021
20 December 2022

Summary

In 2021, the Distribuitive Trade sector was represented by 215.5 thousand enterprises and 793.8 thousand persons employed (-0.6%; -1.2% in 2020) , having achieved a Turnover of EUR 157.2 billion (+11.8%, after -6.9% in 2020). The Gross Value Added stood at EUR 21.2 billion (+12.3%; -4.7% in 2020) and the commercial margin at EUR 28.3 billion (+9.7%; -4.9% in 2020). 

Compared to 2019, trade enterprises recorded, in nominal terms, +4.1% in Turnover, +7.0% in Gross Value Added, +4.3% in the Global commercial margin and +5.7% in the Margin per company but decreased the number of enterprises and their persons employed (variations of -1.3% and -1.8%, respectively). However, the performance of the three segments, as mentioned below, was not fully aligned, particularly with regard to the intensity of the recovery in 2021.

Automotive trade enterprises recorded an increase of 8.2% in Turnover (-15.7% in 2020). The Global commercial margin and the Margin per company increased by 8.4% and 7.3%, respectively (-6.7% and -8.3% in 2020, in the same order). Persons employed decreased by 0.9% (+0.4% in 2020). 

In Wholesale activity, the Turnover grew by 15.4% in 2021 (-6.1% in 2020), the Global commercial margin increased by 13.0% (-3.8% in 2020), the Margin per company grew by 12.5% (-3.4% in 2020) and persons employed decreased by 0.2% (-0.3% in 2020). 

In 2021, Retail trade the Turnover increased by 8.1% (-4.4% in 2020), and also grew the Global commercial margin (+6.7%; -5.7% in 2020) and the Margin per company (+6.8%; -2.8% in 2020). However, persons employed continued to decrease (-0.8%, after -2.0% in 2020). 

See the infographic


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