Daily average expenditure of a typical Belarusian in retail shops.
In a recent report by Belstat, the Belarusian national statistical committee, it has been revealed that the retail trade and catering sector in Belarus has experienced a notable increase in the first seven months of 2025.
The data shows that the retail turnover in Belarus for the January-July period of 2025 has risen by 8.6% compared to the same period in 2024. This growth, when adjusted for comparable prices, amounts to Br57.3 billion, an increase from the previous year.
Per capita retail sales have also seen a rise, with the average Belarusian spending Br29.6 on retail goods, a jump from Br26.2 in the same period last year. Retail outlets contributed 95.6% of the total retail sales, which increased by 9.4% year-on-year.
Interestingly, while retail growth is evident, wholesale trade saw a slight decrease of 5.9% to 101.7 billion rubles during the same period. However, the domestic catering turnover increased by 5.1% to 4.1 billion rubles.
The growth in retail turnover mirrors a continuation of positive trends, as earlier in the first half of 2025, the increase was around 9%. It is worth noting that inflation was around 7.4% by July 2025, which may affect consumption dynamics and real purchasing power. However, the retail turnover growth in comparable prices accounts for inflation adjustments.
Journalist Mikhail Svetlov reports this story, highlighting that the one-day retail turnover per capita in Belarus for January-July 2025 was 29.6 rubles, a higher figure compared to the same period in 2024 (26.2 rubles). The data covers the period from January to July 2025.
The rise in retail turnover reflects strengthened consumer spending and retail market expansion in Belarus for early 2025, with nominal figures adjusted for inflation showing real growth.
Given the context, here are two sentences that include the words 'finance', 'business', and are derived from the text:
- The growth in retail turnover, as indicated by the data, suggests a strengthened consumer spending and expansion in the retail business sector of Belarus during early 2025.
- The increase in retail sales, resulting in a rise of Br57.3 billion, denotes a significant financial boost for the Belarusian business sector in the first seven months of 2025.
