Turkey: COVID-19 narrows retail sales volume in April

Turkey's retail sales volume shrank 19.3% on an annual basis in April due to coronavirus crisis, the country's statistical authority said on Friday.

Food, drinks and tobacco sales in April grew 12.5% compared to the same month last year, according to TurkStat.

Non-food -- except automotive fuel -- sales shrank 36.7% year-on-year in April while automotive fuel sales slipped 20.1%.

Among non-food items, the volume of textile, clothing, and footwear sales deteriorated the most, falling 77.2% during the same period. It was followed by computers, books and telecommunications equipment sales with 35.6% and electronic goods and furniture sales with 26.7% compared to April 2019.

Sales by mail order and the internet more than doubled year-on-year, up 105% in April.

On a monthly basis, retail sales volume with constant prices went down 21% in April, TurkStat said.