Retail Sales in Belgium

Retail sales measure the volume of goods sold by Belgium's retail outlets, food included. Published by Statbel, they are one of the most important gauges of household consumption.

Statbel builds an index against a base year from the turnover reported by a sample of retailers. It is released in volume terms (deflated), calendar- and seasonally-adjusted, as monthly and year-on-year changes.

It gives an early read on private consumption, the largest component of Belgian GDP, making it an input for growth estimates and for ECB monetary policy.

It is a volatile indicator, sensitive to seasonality, promotions and calendar effects. Preliminary data are revised as more survey responses come in.