Retail sales rose a calendar-adjusted 4.2% year-on-year in May, slightly slower than the 4.5% gain in the previous month. Turnover of retail trade in non-food products, except for retail sales of automotive fuels, grew 7.8% yearly in May and those of food products increased 2.9%.

Meanwhile, sales of automotive fuel registered a fall of 2.6% and retail sales via mail order houses or via internet dropped sharply by 7.3%.

On a monthly basis, retail sales declined a seasonally adjusted 1.1% in May, following a 4.4% decrease in April.