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Sweden

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Turnover and volume of sales

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National Reference Metadata in Euro SDMX Metadata Structure (ESMS)

Compiling agency: Statistics Sweden

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Name of indicator/source: Retail trade turnover index (or Retail Sales Index) - In Swedish: Detaljhandelsindex. Other services turnover index.

Main purpose is to be a part of an indicator on private consumption.

12 June 2025

Retail trade turnover is not defined according to the regulation. In the Swedish retail trade turnover is defined as Turnover incl VAT excl export. For G45 and G46 net turnover (excl VAT) is collected.

Planned changes in information collected: No planned changes.

Accounting conventions: The reference period is calendar month.

Reporting unit: The reporting unit is the enterprise with some exceptions (where enterprise groups may report).

Observation unit (s): The observation unit is the enterprise with some exceptions (where enterprise groups may report).

The population: NACE Rev.2 Division 45, 46 and 47.

Geographical area covered: All regions of Sweden are covered.

The reference period is calendar month.

There are a number of sources for inaccuracy in the Retail trade turnover index. This is an attempt to structure the possible sources for inaccuracy and to qualitatively describe the effects.

Coverage: The Retail trade turnover survey covers NACE Rev. 2 Division 47. The frame is constructed using a "frozen" version of the business register, so enterprises entering into the business register after this freezing moment is considered undercoverage, and enterprises exiting the frame after this moment are considered overcoverage.

Sampling: The sample method is stratified random sampling. Stratification variables are NACE Rev.2 activity and size of yearly turnover. The sample consists of eight size classes where size class 1-4 is sampled, 5-6 and 8-9 is censused. Size classes 1-4 consists of the smallest units and 5-6 of the largest. Size class 8 consists of complex units consisting of two or more legal units.  Size class 9 consists of various special cases.  Size classes are created using the Dalenius-Hodges rule. Sample size in each strata is determined using Neyman-allocation.

Nonsresponse: Nonresponse is handled by imputation methods for both item and object nonresponse. The imputation method consists of a list of ranked alternatives where the first alternative is used if it meets a set of criteria’s. If the first alternative is not possible due to failure to meet the criteria’s the next alternative is used and so on. The process is automated using the BANFF-system in SAS.

Measurement: As always there may be measurement errors with sampling. The statistics is cross-checked with sources such as VAT-data, in order to identify measurement errors and correct them. Questionnaire data for units in size class 1-4 is replaced with VAT-data on a quarterly basis for all units in the frame which decreased measurement errors. However the VAT-data also contain measurement errors and may have periodicity problems. But since each unit only represents itself the measurement errors are limited compared to a "normal" estimation.

Data processing: Turnover is deflated using Consumer Price Index. Errors and inconsistencies in this data source may affect accuracy of Retail trade turnover index.

Model assumptions: The frame is constructed using a cutoff where units over the cutoff together include 90-95 % (depending on industry sector) of the yearly turnover. The turnover for the units under the cutoff is assumed to have the same development in turnover as the units over the cutoff.

Data is revised, i.e. data changes after the first release.

Data is gathered in absolute values which are then calculated into indices. Indices are presented on the webpage, absolute values are not. The final result is an index with reference year equal to 100.

Missing observations from unit and item non-responses are dealt with by using automatic imputations carried out by the estimation programs.

The estimator is an Horvitz-Thompson type of estimator combined with VAT-information. Sampled enterprises are replaced with turnover based on VAT-data when quarterly turnover data is available. Censuses units are never replaced with turnover from VAT.

Turnover based on VAT does not only apply sample units in stratas that are sampled, but all units in the frame so the survey is a census on a quarterly basis.

The index method is a chained Laspeyre-index with weights updated each year using annual overlap.

The grossing up is based on the relation between the number of enterprises in the population and the number of responding enterprises in each activity and strata.

A program developed by Statistics Sweden fetches data from the internal databases and converts it to sdmx-file in order to transmit the data to Eurostat.

Type of source - Statistical survey.

Frame on which the source is based - Swedish Business Register and Swedish value added tax register. All at Statistics Sweden.

Sample or census - Stratified sample survey. Includes enterprises that have their main activity in Division 47 (NACE Rev. 2).

Criteria for stratification - Activity and turnover are used for stratification.

Sample size in each strata is determined using Neyman-allocation. The two largest strata are censused and the four smallest one are sampled. Complex units i.d. Enterprises consisting of two or more legal units are always censused.

Threshold values and percentages - There are approximately 57 000 enterprises in the reference population. The survey includes approx 1400 enterprises for the year of 2022. Each activity in this survey is divided into size strata. The limits for the different size groups are based on annual turnover. Information on turnover is available for the whole population and collected from the value added tax register, but there is some time delay.

Frequency of updating the sample - The frame and sample population is updated in reference month april each year.

Monthly

Retail trade statistics is published approximately 28 days after the end of the reference period.

Timetable (approx) of data collection:

T is the end of the reference period. 

T-1 Sending out questionnaires
T+1 First answer
T+15 Last day to submit the figures
T+16 Mail and e-mail reminder
T+20 Imputation, estimation and start of the checking of the data
T+26 End of checking of the data, last estimation
T+27 Data compilation, writing press release, updating tables and graphs etc.
T+28 Release of the preliminary results

The methods and definitions is comparable with the European ones since the retail trade turnover statistics is produced according to the EBS Manual.

The same statistical concepts are applied in the entire Swedish national territory. No geographical discrepancies exist.

The retail trade turnover statistics has been produced since 1955. However there has been changes to NACE over the years which hampers comparability. The level of detail has also improved over the years.

In april 2015 Statistics changed the methodology mostly with respect to sampling and estimation. In order to avoid breaks, the time series were spliced together based on information from collecting and estimating statistics with both old and new method.