Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Short-Term Statistics Unit, Directory of Economic Statistics
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Vllazën Huta street, Building 35, Entrance 1, Administrative unit No.2, 1017 Tirana
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
18 March 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
18 March 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
18 March 2025
3.1. Data description
Turnover and volume of sales index in retail tradeshow the performance of the goods market, this index is prepared as volume and turnover index, for the publication format this index is shown up in aggregate level only, as: retail trade, retail trade excluding retail sale of motor fuel, food, non-food, and retail sale of motor fuel, which derive from the processing of the ten (10) categories of an economic activity classes as follow. Indicators are expressed as indices and percent change (%). These categories result from the aggregation of the relevant economic activity classes (NACE Rev. 2 codes: 47.11-47.78). The ten categories of aggregated economic activity classes of the revised Retail Trade Turnover and Volume Indices are the following:
Retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating
Other retail sale in non-specialised stores
Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores
Retail sale of information and communication equipment in specialised stores
Retail sale of other household equipment in specialised stores
Retail sale of cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores
Retail sale of clothing, footwear and leather goods in specialised stores
Dispensing chemist, retail sale of medical and orthopaedic goods, retail sale of cosmetic and toilet articles in specialised stores
Retail sale of other goods in specialised stores
Retail sale of motor fuel
3.2. Classification system
The Statistical Classification of Economic Activities, NACE Rev.2, is applied in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and the Council.
3.3. Coverage - sector
The Retail Trade Turnover Index according to the new NACE Rev.2 classification covers the economic activity divisions identified by codes 4711 to 4778 inclusive.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The purpose of the Retail Trade Turnover Index is to show the performance of the goods market. The index does not cover other activities, such as provision of services. Turnover comprises the total amounts invoiced by the enterprise during the reference period, which correspond to the resale of goods without any further transformation. The data collected each month refer to sales affected, excluding VAT but including other duties and taxes on the goods.
The sales volume represents the turnover value, at constant prices, and is a quantum index. It can be calculated as the turnover at current prices, deflated by applying the sales deflator.
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit is the enterprise.
In cases where the enterprise carries out multiple economic activities, the kind-of-activity unit (KAU) is applied.
3.6. Statistical population
In the survey for the compilation of the Retail Trade Turnover Index include retail trade enterprises listed in the Business Register, belonging to the economic activity divisions identified by the 4-digit codes 47.11 to 47.78 inclusive in the NACE Rev. 2 statistical classification.
3.7. Reference area
Retail Trade data cover the whole territory of Albania.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The time series of the Retail Trade Turnover and Volume Indices are published quarterly.
3.9. Base period
Starting from the first quarter of 2024, the base year 2021 (2021 = 100) is in use.
Indices; Percentage change on the same period of the previous year (rates); Percentage change on the previous period (rates).
Retail Trade data refers to quarterly period, but monthly indicators are compiled and published. The reference year of this report is 2024.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The legal basis for the retail trade indicators are:
From the first quarter 2018 data for main indicators are transmitted regularly to Eurostat.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Data are considered strictly confidential and are used only for statistical and research purposes based on national Statistical Law No.17/2018 “On Official Statistics”, date 10 March 2018 and on Law No.9887, date 10 March 2008 “Personal Data Protection”. Article 31 on Statistics Law reads as follows: Data collected for the production of official statistics shall be treated by INSTAT as confidential and shall be used only in aggregated tables that will not identify the source information unit. Direct identification means when a statistical unit is directly identified from its name or address or any officially allocated and commonly known identification number. When data processing is made in a manner that allows the identification of the data subject, the data should immediately be encrypted in order for the subjects to be no longer identifiable.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Albanian Institute of Statistics protects and does not disseminate data it has obtained or it has access to, which enable the direct or indirect identification of the statistical units. Albania Institute of Statistics takes all appropriate preventive measures so as to render impossible the identification of individual statistical units by technical or other means that might reasonably be used by a third party. Statistical data that could potentially enable the identification of the statistical unit are disseminated by Albania Institute of Statistics if and only if:
these data have been treated, as it is specifically set out in the Regulation, in such a way that their dissemination does not prejudice statistical confidentiality or
the statistical unit has given its consent, without any reservations, for the disclosure of data.
The confidential data that are transmitted to Albania Institute of Statistics are used exclusively for statistical purposes and the only persons who have the right to have access to these data are the personnel engaged in this task. Issues referring to the observance of statistical confidentiality are examined by the staff working in Albania Institute of Statistics. The responsibilities of this staff are to recommend on: which detailed level the statistical data can be disseminated, so as the identification, either directly or indirectly, of the surveyed statistical unit is not possible; the anonymization criteria for the microdata provided to users; the access granting to researchers on confidential data for scientific purposes.
8.1. Release calendar
Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website. The announcements and delays are per-announced in this calendar. In the case of delays, the date of the next publication and the explanation of the reasons for the delays are specified.
In line with the article 34 of Law No.17/2018 “On Official Statistics”, dated in 17 April 2018, disseminates statistics on INSTAT website and other media for simultaneous access, respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The following dissemination channels are used to release the results:
Data request, section available for external users.
Retail Trade Turnover Index is compiled each quarter
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
According to the calendar of publications, press release regarding to the Turnover and volume of sales indicies in tradeis published quarterly. The format of press release has not been changed; it is defined by publication sector as well as the date of release. Press releases of the Retail Trade Turnover and Volume Indices are published online at INSTATs website.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
The data are presented and published at INSTATs website according to legislation and regular publication under Retail Trade section.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
All the information is available in both Albanian and English language. Since 2011, time series of Retail Trade Indexes in value and volume is provided to external users in the website through the Pc-Axis system. A short methodological explanation exists also in the web page. You can access the database in in the dedicated section.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
No micro-data are available for users due to confidentiality reasons. Aggregated data is the only type of data that is provided to external users.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Users can send other specific requests through a dedicated section for Contacts.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The methodology of the Retail Trade Turnover Index is based upon the Methodology of Short-term Business Statistics, Interpretation and guidelines, 2006, which contains a comprehensive set of recommendations on the compilation of the STS statistics. Also the Methodological notes are published at INSTAT’s website.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
The Short-Term Statistics Sector takes care about all documentation of the whole process of work of Retail trade index for internal purposes.
11.1. Quality assurance
INSTAT is committed to ensure the highest quality with respect to the compilation of statistical information. In accordance with the Statistics Law, INSTAT use statistical methods and processes in compliance with internationally recognized scientific principles and standards conduct ongoing analyses of the statistics with a view to quality improvements and ensure that statistics are as up to-date. In performing its tasks it follows the general principles of quality management from the European Statistics Code of Practice. INSTAT declares that it takes into account the following principles: impartiality, quality of processes and products, user orientation, employee orientation, effectiveness of statistical processes, reducing the workload for respondents.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Quality controls and validation of data are actions carried out throughout the process. The staff is involved in different stages of index calculation, such as the data collection, data control, data input and other necessary control are all well trained. This helps the staff to know the enterprises and their responsibilities and keep an updated collaboration.
Turnover Index in retail trade is an index that is being compiled in Albania since 1999, so it contains experience of many years. Moreover, its concepts and methodology have been developed according to international standards. Although, the editing and assessment of the data is developed both during and after the data are finished to be collected. Data control meaning is the continuously study of data taken from responsible stuff in order to identifies the possible mistakes, especially those which indicate the obtained results. After the identifying the mistakes, verification is developed in collaboration with enterprises, in order to clarify the data where the mistake is identified.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Retail Trade Turnover Index provides statistical information necessary to improve the competitiveness and performance of the business community. The Index is used by different users such as the government and other administrative authorities, Bank of Albania, economic analysts, media and public.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
INSTAT annually conducts the Survey for Measuring User Satisfaction, the results of which are published on the web at the link: User Satisfaction Survey.
The 2024 survey results show that the overall quality of the topic "Retail Trade Index" was rated 3.81 (76.2%) on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good).
12.3. Completeness
Retail Trade statistics on their completeness are built in accordance with Eurostat regulations. The degree of data completeness is estimated at 80.0 %. This calculation is based by taking into account the ratio of requirements met by INSTAT to what is required by European regulations.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overall, the data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
The sampled population of STS 2024 includes approximately 11,000 enterprises that are surveyed each quarter, from these around 3,000 enterprises are in retail trade activities. Sampling design is stratified simple random sampling. Criteria used for stratification is the number of employees according to the NACE Rev. 2 3-digit level.Calculating the estimates of statistical data and analysis evaluating outliers are done regularly. The overall accuracy rate is high, considering the high response rate. To calculate the estimates, Horvitz-Thompson estimator is used, that is unbiased. The accuracy of the estimates is reached by eliminating sampling errors and non-sampling errors, such as coverage, non-response, response mistakes and processing errors.
Coverage errors reasons are: misclassification of units and changes in state of reporting units. In case of non-response, units are contacted by telephone and email. The sampling error in percent (CV) is calculated for main indicators of survey that are published every quarter.
13.2. Sampling error
All indicator values are weighted to represent the population.
Relative standard deviation in average for the variable Turnover is 2.38 %.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Unit non-response takes in consideration enterprises that are unable or unwilling to give the answers or when interviewers are unable to find enterprise addresses, or when other barriers exist to complete the interview.
The unit non-response rate in average for Retail Trade 2024 is 2.48%.
Item non-response rate in average for the main variable are: for the Number of employed is 1.49% while for Turnover is 1.42%.
14.1. Timeliness
Results of Turnover Index Volume of Retail Trade are published on INSTAT website 72 days after the end of the reference period (T+72 days). The reference period of these results is December 31st, 2024.
Reference period
12 December 2024
Date of publication
13 March 2025
Timeliness
72
14.2. Punctuality
The data of Turnover Index Volume of Retail Trade are disseminated according to the publication calendar. The publication of Turnover Index Volume of Retail Trade has been punctuality in time to 100% of publications carried out over the years.
Reference period
31 December 2024
Date of announcement
13 March 2025
Date of publication
13 March 2025
Time lag
0
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The retail trade turnover index and Volume index are produced in national level only, so rational comparisons are not available. But these indices are comparison in national level.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The data series has been compiled since the year 1999. The first set of indicators was based on NACE Rev 1. For the last revision of the Retail Trade Turnover and Volume Indices (2010=100) from NACE Rev. 1. 1 to NACE REV. 2, it was deemed necessary to calculate parallel series for those indices including and not including fuel. This was due to the inclusion of fuel in retail trade in order to maintain comparability with the previous series of the Retail Trade Turnover and Volume indices (2005=100) and the indexes that have been calculated with NACE Rev.1.1. The process of passing from the old to the new base consists of two steps: re-weighting, i.e. the weights used for the calculation of the indexes are updated from the base year 2005 to the base year 2010; and re-referencing, i.e., the periods of reference are updated from 2005=100 to 2010=100.
In 2019 the structure of the base period of the indices changed from 2010 to 2015. In 2024, in Short-Term Statistics the weights structure is updated and the basic index period has changed from 2015 to 2021. The data series are equivalent to each other; the rhythms of the increase are the same, and a series is convertible to the other.
Short-term Statistics data by quarters are compliant to NACE Rev. 2 Economic Activity Classification which dates back to 2006 and refers to the statistical database by providing a time comparability of 19 years (CC2 = Jlast-Jfirst + 1 = 19).
The data are constantly checked to ensure their comparability over time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
STS turnover in retail trade is for the greater part measured by using VAT data. For the enterprise that VAT data are not available data are collected through sample survey. There is no other statistical product that could be used for cross checking instead of the current indicators.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized. The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series confirmed. Short-term Statistics specialists work together with relevant departments to ensure consistency and coherence of statistical indicators.
STS cost includes information on the permanent and temporary number of the staff. STS number of staff are as following:
Total staff in Central Office 1 employees;
Logistics specialists 1 employees;
Enumerators 144 employees;
Controllers 9 employees.
Administrative data are sent to INSTAT at no cost, based on Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between INSTAT, GDT (General Directorate of Taxes) and NBC (National Business Centre). Other sources are considered BR, previous STS, etc. STS staff manages the control and analysis of data, so these two processes have no additional cost.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revision policy is done in accordance with general revision policy and errors treatment policy introduced by INSTAT in the links below:
The same revision policy is applied to national releases and transmissions to Eurostat.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Published data are not considered final; they may be revised. Data are revised in the whole range or for other reasons such as: Implementation of the new NACE classification, methodological changes, new information or data improvements and error correction. But the revisions are generally rather limited in scale. Revision of the previous quarter is possible during each quarter and adjustments can be made at the end of each year for the four quarters.
During 2024 “net-turnover (value) and sales volume in trade” has not been revised. No numeric values are available for MR and MAR indicators, MR=0, MAR=0.
18.1. Source data
Data are based on quarterly statistical surveys and administrative source. The basis of selection is the Register of active enterprises for the reference year. Classification of enterprises is done according to the Nomenclature of Economic Activities, NACE Rev. 2. Frame population is determined by two basic criteria: Size of enterprise (based on number of employed) and economic activity in scope, with cut-off. The method of selection used is Stratified Simple Random Sampling (SRS). Stratification is based on a combination of economic activity with size group of the enterprise. Indicators are presented for economic activities according to the areas specified in the STS regulation and also based on user needs.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data collection is carried out quarterly, but the information is monthly
18.3. Data collection
During 2024, data were provided in a combined way through administrative sources and through questionnaires for the part not covered by the administrative source. Data collection continued to be conducted using the CAPI method. The duration of this survey is 10 working days.
18.4. Data validation
Data received from survey and from VAT file are validated using logical validation rules.
At national level, editing involves studying data from respondents with the aim of identifying (and eventually correcting) errors. Not all errors can be identified and the aim is to detect the errors that have a significant influence on the results.
Rules to assist in identifying errors may flag possible errors that require further investigation to determine where there really is an error as opposed to an unusual result or they may identify definite errors. Editing involves checks for completeness, that values are within given ranges and that values for related variables are coherent. Data editing may take place during or after data entry.
Responses can be compared to the response of previous quarters. Inconsistency or large deviations (outside of a pre-established range) indicate that a closer look is desirable. This may result in data editing. In the context of timeliness, the editing process may be designed to give top priority to those outliers that are most in need of editing for the sake of reliable aggregates. By solving the worst cases, large improvements can be achieved.
18.5. Data compilation
First step is collecting information from the interviewers. The purpose is to bring this information to the statistic target level. This process follows:
Physical control of questionnaires (verification of completed questionnaires according to the scanning standards.)
Logical control of questionnaires (control of logical marked of responses indicators, description and codification of activity, and control of accurate values.)
Editing process of data collected (errors and modification)
Non response units and the missing information need to be completed through the imputation process.
Comparability phase (collected data with the administrative sources, previous periods or trends.)
Correction of figures taking into account any micro-enterprise at its historical level, or other distinctive aspects such as activity etc.
Analysis of results under each domain of publication.
Completed results are used for weight and re-weight phase
The aggregated data are compared to other data sources
The last two phases can be subject to other analysis used for publication domain. When statistical analysis is finished, these data are determined as a group of non-public information. Before releasing the results, very important matter is the confidentiality of this information.
The Retail Trade Volume Index is obtained from the Retail Trade Turnover Index deflated in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as follows: Using CPI data, deflator-indices are compiled for the corresponding groups of the Turnover Index. More specifically, deflators are calculated for ten categories of economic activity classes of the index. To deflate the Turnover Index and convert it to a Volume Index, the individual Turnover Indices are divided by the appropriate deflators.
18.6. Adjustment
Seasonal and calendar adjustment of monthly/quarterly time series of retail trade is done by using JDemetra+ 2.2.4 version software. The chosen model for the decomposition of time series is X-12 ARIMA, under specification X-13. X-12 ARIMA model is totally based in moving average. In all time series is applied the multiplicative decomposition and the direct approach. In calendar adjustment is applied the specification of trading day and a national calendar, considering both moving and fix national holidays. During the process of seasonal adjustment there are treated even the special cases occurred during time series span, identified by software as outlier.
There are no comments.
Turnover and volume of sales index in retail tradeshow the performance of the goods market, this index is prepared as volume and turnover index, for the publication format this index is shown up in aggregate level only, as: retail trade, retail trade excluding retail sale of motor fuel, food, non-food, and retail sale of motor fuel, which derive from the processing of the ten (10) categories of an economic activity classes as follow. Indicators are expressed as indices and percent change (%). These categories result from the aggregation of the relevant economic activity classes (NACE Rev. 2 codes: 47.11-47.78). The ten categories of aggregated economic activity classes of the revised Retail Trade Turnover and Volume Indices are the following:
Retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating
Other retail sale in non-specialised stores
Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores
Retail sale of information and communication equipment in specialised stores
Retail sale of other household equipment in specialised stores
Retail sale of cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores
Retail sale of clothing, footwear and leather goods in specialised stores
Dispensing chemist, retail sale of medical and orthopaedic goods, retail sale of cosmetic and toilet articles in specialised stores
Retail sale of other goods in specialised stores
Retail sale of motor fuel
18 March 2025
The purpose of the Retail Trade Turnover Index is to show the performance of the goods market. The index does not cover other activities, such as provision of services. Turnover comprises the total amounts invoiced by the enterprise during the reference period, which correspond to the resale of goods without any further transformation. The data collected each month refer to sales affected, excluding VAT but including other duties and taxes on the goods.
The sales volume represents the turnover value, at constant prices, and is a quantum index. It can be calculated as the turnover at current prices, deflated by applying the sales deflator.
The statistical unit is the enterprise.
In cases where the enterprise carries out multiple economic activities, the kind-of-activity unit (KAU) is applied.
In the survey for the compilation of the Retail Trade Turnover Index include retail trade enterprises listed in the Business Register, belonging to the economic activity divisions identified by the 4-digit codes 47.11 to 47.78 inclusive in the NACE Rev. 2 statistical classification.
Retail Trade data cover the whole territory of Albania.
Retail Trade data refers to quarterly period, but monthly indicators are compiled and published. The reference year of this report is 2024.
Overall, the data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
The sampled population of STS 2024 includes approximately 11,000 enterprises that are surveyed each quarter, from these around 3,000 enterprises are in retail trade activities. Sampling design is stratified simple random sampling. Criteria used for stratification is the number of employees according to the NACE Rev. 2 3-digit level.Calculating the estimates of statistical data and analysis evaluating outliers are done regularly. The overall accuracy rate is high, considering the high response rate. To calculate the estimates, Horvitz-Thompson estimator is used, that is unbiased. The accuracy of the estimates is reached by eliminating sampling errors and non-sampling errors, such as coverage, non-response, response mistakes and processing errors.
Coverage errors reasons are: misclassification of units and changes in state of reporting units. In case of non-response, units are contacted by telephone and email. The sampling error in percent (CV) is calculated for main indicators of survey that are published every quarter.
Indices; Percentage change on the same period of the previous year (rates); Percentage change on the previous period (rates).
First step is collecting information from the interviewers. The purpose is to bring this information to the statistic target level. This process follows:
Physical control of questionnaires (verification of completed questionnaires according to the scanning standards.)
Logical control of questionnaires (control of logical marked of responses indicators, description and codification of activity, and control of accurate values.)
Editing process of data collected (errors and modification)
Non response units and the missing information need to be completed through the imputation process.
Comparability phase (collected data with the administrative sources, previous periods or trends.)
Correction of figures taking into account any micro-enterprise at its historical level, or other distinctive aspects such as activity etc.
Analysis of results under each domain of publication.
Completed results are used for weight and re-weight phase
The aggregated data are compared to other data sources
The last two phases can be subject to other analysis used for publication domain. When statistical analysis is finished, these data are determined as a group of non-public information. Before releasing the results, very important matter is the confidentiality of this information.
The Retail Trade Volume Index is obtained from the Retail Trade Turnover Index deflated in accordance with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as follows: Using CPI data, deflator-indices are compiled for the corresponding groups of the Turnover Index. More specifically, deflators are calculated for ten categories of economic activity classes of the index. To deflate the Turnover Index and convert it to a Volume Index, the individual Turnover Indices are divided by the appropriate deflators.
Data are based on quarterly statistical surveys and administrative source. The basis of selection is the Register of active enterprises for the reference year. Classification of enterprises is done according to the Nomenclature of Economic Activities, NACE Rev. 2. Frame population is determined by two basic criteria: Size of enterprise (based on number of employed) and economic activity in scope, with cut-off. The method of selection used is Stratified Simple Random Sampling (SRS). Stratification is based on a combination of economic activity with size group of the enterprise. Indicators are presented for economic activities according to the areas specified in the STS regulation and also based on user needs.
Retail Trade Turnover Index is compiled each quarter
Results of Turnover Index Volume of Retail Trade are published on INSTAT website 72 days after the end of the reference period (T+72 days). The reference period of these results is December 31st, 2024.
Reference period
12 December 2024
Date of publication
13 March 2025
Timeliness
72
The retail trade turnover index and Volume index are produced in national level only, so rational comparisons are not available. But these indices are comparison in national level.
The data series has been compiled since the year 1999. The first set of indicators was based on NACE Rev 1. For the last revision of the Retail Trade Turnover and Volume Indices (2010=100) from NACE Rev. 1. 1 to NACE REV. 2, it was deemed necessary to calculate parallel series for those indices including and not including fuel. This was due to the inclusion of fuel in retail trade in order to maintain comparability with the previous series of the Retail Trade Turnover and Volume indices (2005=100) and the indexes that have been calculated with NACE Rev.1.1. The process of passing from the old to the new base consists of two steps: re-weighting, i.e. the weights used for the calculation of the indexes are updated from the base year 2005 to the base year 2010; and re-referencing, i.e., the periods of reference are updated from 2005=100 to 2010=100.
In 2019 the structure of the base period of the indices changed from 2010 to 2015. In 2024, in Short-Term Statistics the weights structure is updated and the basic index period has changed from 2015 to 2021. The data series are equivalent to each other; the rhythms of the increase are the same, and a series is convertible to the other.
Short-term Statistics data by quarters are compliant to NACE Rev. 2 Economic Activity Classification which dates back to 2006 and refers to the statistical database by providing a time comparability of 19 years (CC2 = Jlast-Jfirst + 1 = 19).
The data are constantly checked to ensure their comparability over time.
