Retail

Calendar-adjusted retail sales volume with constant prices slipped 7.5 percent on a yearly basis in October, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) revealed on Dec. 18.

At an event organized by Lidl Bulgaria on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the chain's presence in the country, the Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture, food and forests, Rumen Porozhanov, said that:  "From the beginning of next year, we will launch state aid to cover 50% of the costs of GMP certifications for fruit and vegetable producers, which will give them even better access to the

Homegrown online shops are gaining ground in Greece, as 85 percent of consumers in the country use them for the vast majority of their online purchases, according to a survey by the E-Business Research Center of the Athens University for Economics and Business (ELTRUN) and the Association of Business and Retail Sales in Greece (SELPE).

Regular Business Surveys of the National Statistical Institute reported improvements in the business environment in the country in November, excluding construction. The overall business climate indicator increased by 0.6 percentage points compared to October, driven by improved business conditions in industry and retail. The indicator for the Services sector is unchanged.

Sectoral confidence in Turkey rose for services and retail trade and fell for construction in November compared with last month, the country's statistical authority announced on Nov. 26.

Competition among Greek retail chains, particularly those in the technology and electronics sector, is becoming fiercer than ever in the runup to Black Friday, with many retailers having already started offering special discounts.

Stores and consumers in Greece are gearing up for Black Friday - normally the last Friday of November, but on November 23 this year - as the shoppers' "holiday" when many retailers reduce their prices and provide special offers has been embraced by the local market too.

Turkey's calendar-adjusted retail sales volume with constant prices narrowed 3.4 percent year-on-year in September, the country's statistical authority revealed on Nov. 19.

Romanians went on a mammoth shopping spree on Friday, as the country's biggest retailers started the 2018 Black Friday sales marathon.

The midseason sales that end on Thursday failed to meet the expectations of retailers, as their turnover is estimated to have declined by 7 percent on average compared to last year's fall sales.