BTA-Fransabank retail index falls again

A 35 percent decrease over the last two years

The BTA-Fransabank retail index for the fourth quarter of 2013, published last week, indicated that there has been an accumulated decline of purchases during the last two years, of 35.5 percent, when comparing Q4, 2013 to Q4, 2011. The index, prepared and published by the Beirut Traders Association and Fransabank, measures the purchase value of goods in retail outlets, and its variation, quarter to quarter.

Between Q4 2013 and Q4 2012, a few sectors succeeded in maintaining the same level of activity, while others experienced sharp declines.

Pharmaceutical products, especially in the para-pharmaceutical sector, along with construction material sales were the most affected, each down by 25 percent.

The second largest sector affected were electronics and home appliances, with a decrease of 15 percent.

The fall came with a real decrease of five percent in the supermarkets and food store sales, despite an increase in prices of nearly three percent, in this sector, as per the Consumer Price Index of the Central Administration of Statistics’ latest report.

The sales volume for fuels has dropped by nearly eight percent, despite the high number of Syrian vehicles currently circulating, here.

Sales in the cosmetics and perfume sector, as well as the clothing sector, have maintained an almost equal level of activity as in Q4 2012, because of the very high discounts that these sectors have been forced to offer.

Several factors contributed to further deterioration of consumption. These include the recurring bombings throughout the country, a persisting absence of Gulf tourists and the decline in the number of visiting Lebanese emigrants.