According to the statistics office, internet sales and fuel sales contributed the most to the growth in sales in January. Compared to last December, sales in the retail sector declined by 0.5 per cent.

"Retail sales, adjusted for price effects, rose year-on-year for food, fuel and non-food sales. Online sales and fuel sales were the largest contributors to sales growth. Lower sales were recorded for computer and communication equipment and household goods stores. The growth rate of retail sales in January decreased compared to the previous seven months," said Jana Gotvaldová, head of the CSO's statistics department for trade, transport and services.

Year-on-year in January, sales of fuel rose by 5.4 percent, non-food goods by 3.1 percent and food by 1.5 percent.

According to PwC analyst Dominik Kohut, the strengthening of online sales is an expected development. "On a month-on-month basis, there is a slight correction after Christmas shopping despite January's sell-offs, and on a year-on-year basis retail sales are rising as households see their spending power increase due to rising nominal wages with already tame inflation," he said.

Electronics sales are falling

Internet and mail-order stores saw a six percent increase in sales. Sales in specialty stores selling cosmetics and toiletries rose 6.8 percent year-on-year, pharmaceutical and health care goods 6.7 percent, clothing and footwear 4.5 percent and culture, sports and recreation 1.2 percent. On the other hand, sales in stores selling computer and communication equipment fell by 7.6 per cent and household goods by two per cent. In specialty food stores, sales increased by 1.7 per cent and in non-specialty stores with a predominance of food, sales increased by 1.5 per cent. Sales in non-food-dominated non-specialty stores increased by 2.9 per cent year-on-year.

Compared with December last year, sales at retail stores excluding motor vehicles fell by half a per cent in January, with non-food goods down 1.4 per cent, while food and fuel sales rose by 0.4 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively.

Sales and repair of motor vehicles increased by 0.7 per cent year-on-year in January, with sales of motor vehicle repairs up 2.8 per cent and sales of motor vehicles including spare parts up 0.1 per cent. On a month-on-month basis, sales and repair of motor vehicles rose 1.2 per cent.

Sources: Czech Statistical Office; E15 Magazine