Statistics Portugal – Web Portal

Summary

In 2021, the Distribuitive Trade sector was represented by 215.5 thousand enterprises and 793.8 thousand persons employed (-0.6%; -1.2% in 2020), having achieved a Turnover of EUR 157.2 billion (+11.8%, after  6.9% in 2020). The Gross Value Added stood at EUR 21.2 billion (+12.3%; -4.7% in 2020) and the commercial margin at EUR 28.3 billion (+9.7%; -4.9% in 2020). 

Compared to 2019, trade enterprises recorded, in nominal terms, +4.1% in Turnover, +7.0% in Gross Value Added, +4.3% in the Global commercial margin and +5.7% in the Margin per company but decreased the number of enterprises and their persons employed (variations of -1.3% and -1.8%, respectively). However, the performance of the three segments, as mentioned below, was not fully aligned, particularly with regard to the intensity of the recovery in 2021.

Automotive trade enterprises recorded an increase of 8.2% in Turnover (-15.7% in 2020). The Global commercial margin and the Margin per company increased by 8.4% and 8.2%, respectively (-6.7% and -5.2% in 2020, in the same order). Persons employed decreased by 0.9% (+0.4% in 2020). 

In Wholesale activity, the Turnover grew by 15.4% in 2021 (-6.1% in 2020), with the Global commercial margin increasing by 13.0% (-3.8% in 2020) such as the Margin per company (+13.0%; -6.6% in 2020) and persons employed decreased by 0.2% (-0.3% in 2020). 

In 2021, Retail trade the Turnover increased by 8.1% (-4.4% in 2020), and also grew the Global commercial margin (+6.7%; -5.7% in 2020) and the Margin per company (+6.8%; -2.8% in 2020). However, persons employed continued to decrease (-0.8%, after -2.0% in 2020). 

In 2021, enterprises with Large-sized Commercial Units2 establishments accounted for 45.1% of Turnover (45.2% in 2020) and 32.8% of persons employed (31.4% in 2020) of retail activities that they belong, although they covered only 0.5% of the number of enterprises (as in 2020 and 2019). 

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