Press release: 12.459-050/21

Austria's service and trade enterprises with significant turnover losses in 2020

Vienna, 2021-03-04 – In 2020, the turnover of Austrian service enterprises decreased by 15.6% in nominal terms compared to the previous year, according to calculations by Statistics Austria. In the same period, the turnover of Austrian trade enterprises decreased by 5.3% in nominal terms and by 4.8% in real terms.

"The Corona pandemic and the containment measures have affected trade and service enterprises quite differently in 2020. Austrian service enterprises suffered the sharpest drop in turnover since the statistical survey began in 2003. Particularly hard hit were, for example, air transport with a drop in turnover of 74.4%, travel agencies with a minus of 69.2% and 'accommodation and food service activities' with 32.9% less turnover", says Tobias Thomas, Director General of Statistics Austria.

In the trade sector, the motor vehicle and wholesale trade also had significantly less turnover in 2020 than in the previous year (-10.6% and -7.0%, respectively). The only increase was recorded by retail trade with a slight plus of 0.1%. While grocery retail saw an 8.9% increase in turnover, retail away from basic supplies suffered a 3.6% year-over-year decline. The temporary store closures hit the clothing and footwear retail sector particularly hard: turnover fell sharply by 24.0%.

These results were calculated by Statistics Austria, Short Term Statistics Services.

For more detailed information please refer to the German version.