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Photo: Hauke-Christian Dittrich / DPA
The retail companies in Germany surprisingly made more sales in October than in September.
According to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office, it rose by 2.6 percent even before the November shutdown.
Sales were also significantly higher than in the same month last year: by 8.2 percent.
According to the information, retail has already far exceeded the level before the corona crisis.
Measured in February, the month before the outbreak of the pandemic in Germany, revenues in October were 5.9 percent higher.
A third more sales in the Internet and mail order business
However, the recovery is very different.
The retail trade with food, beverages and tobacco products did good business in October (real plus 7.3 percent over the previous year).
The trade in furnishings, household appliances and building supplies also increased significantly, with a good 14 percent increase in sales.
In the booming internet and mail order business, revenues shot up by almost 30 percent.
In times of closed restaurants and leisure facilities, many people set up their homes nicely, and vacations are also canceled so that more money is available for purchases.
The growing importance of one's own four walls in the pandemic has led consumers to tackle many renovation, renovation and beautification projects, the trade association for DIY, building and gardening recently reported.
In contrast, the trade in textiles, clothing, shoes and leather goods continues to suffer from the corona crisis.
Sales there are not yet at the previous year's level.
Trade association: Corona requirements make business difficult
"The October figures show once again that online retailing and grocery retailing are posting good sales in the corona crisis, while fashion retailing in particular is making losses," said the managing director of the German Retail Association (HDE), Stefan Genth.
“These effects continue to this day and, in view of the partial lockdown, will leave a clear mark on the Christmas business.
The inner-city retailers are often faced with the ruins of their existence. "
The HDE warns again and again that the online boom is bypassing many shops in city centers.
In the Christmas business, more sales could now migrate to the Internet.
In addition, stricter Corona requirements for the number of customers allowed per sales area made business more difficult.
The discussion is also on more Sunday shopping.
The Association of Towns and Municipalities spoke out in favor of this.
The shops in the city centers "got increasingly into the crisis and can hardly assert themselves against online trading that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said chief executive Gerd Landsberg to the "Handelsblatt".
"It would be right and important, at least in this crisis situation, to allow additional shopping Sundays."
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