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.
The indices of turnover and volume in retail trade describe development in the turnover and sales volume of retail trade enterprises. Turnover for the largest enterprises in their respective industries is described with the data collected with the sales inquiry while the data on sales obtained from the self-assessed tax returns data are exploited to describe the turnover of other enterprises. Turnover is exclusive of value added tax.
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev. 2.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Activities covered: Section G of NACE.
Size classes covered:
Administrative source: monthly data for enterprises whose annual turnover is more than EUR 100,000, quarterly data for enterprises whose annual turnover is EUR 30,001 - 100,000 and yearly data for enterprises whose annual turnover is less than EUR 30,000. Quarterly and yearly data is methodologically disaggregated into monthly data. Statistical survey covers large enterprises.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The index of turnover of trade describes development in the turnover of enterprises engaged in trade. Turnover for the largest enterprises in their respective industries is described with the data collected with the sales inquiry while the data on sales obtained from periodic tax returns are exploited to describe the turnover of other enterprises. Turnover is exclusive of value-added tax.
The volume index of trade sales is aimed to measure the volume of the trade sales. It is obtained when price change is removed from a value index by means of a price index (deflation), in other words a value index is divided by price index and the obtained quotient is multiplied by one hundred.
Variables on questionnaire in sales inquiry: Domestic sales, sales abroad and of which sales of goods between countries abroad.
Reference period: flow during the calendar month.
Variables on administrative declarations: Domestic sales by tax rate, Sales of goods to other EU Member States, Sales of services to other EU Member States, Sales of construction services, Sales taxable at zero VAT rate.
Reference period: flow during the calendar month, quarter or year.
3.5. Statistical unit
Administrative source: legal unit. Statistical survey: legal unit, kind-of-activity unit for the major multi-industrial enterprises.
3.6. Statistical population
Statistical population is legal units which submit Periodic tax returns to the Finnish Tax Administration and fall into NACE category G. Business register is used for NACE information. The statistical population in trade is about 55 000 enterprises.
The frame is updated monthly and demographic changes, such as start-ups and the most important mergers and split-offs, are included instantly. Closures are included as soon as they are noticed, at the latest in four months delay. Of enterprises practising business, those classified in Statistics Finland's Business Register under the industries to be published are included in the calculation. The most significant multi-industry enterprises have been divided into so-called kind-of-activity units to improve purity by industry.
Units where turnover is mainly comprised of non-market activities are excluded from the population of the statistics from the beggining of base year 2021. This is the case, for example, with public administration actors. In addition, efforts are made to eliminate from the turnover of enterprises activities that are not considered to consist of goods or services produced for the market. In practice, auxiliary enterprises serving business activities in which turnover consists of internal services are removed from the statistics on this basis. Foreign corporations are not included in the population of the statistics either.
3.7. Reference area
Geographical area covered: The whole country including the Autonomous Region Of Åland.
The turnover/volume of sales figures also include activities carried outside Finnish territories. The largest companies are inquired monthly about the sales of goods and services from abroad to abroad. This information may contain e.g merchanting if it is reported on the financial statement of the company operating in Finland. Fully comprehensive information according to the National Accounts definition of global production has not been acquired through the questionnaire. The quality of turnover in major globally active enterprises has been examined but there is no comprehensive information on its coverage.
Nace Rev. 2.
The share of the sales of goods and services from abroad to abroad in the sales inquiry
45 Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
0,4 %
46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
1,3 %
47 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
0,0 %
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data is available from 1995. Some of the series are produced only from 2010 or 2015 onwards.
3.9. Base period
Base (reference) year: 2021.
Euro, data is published as indices.
Month.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The production of the indices is based on the Statistics Act (280/2004) and guided by Regulation (EU) (N:o 2019/2152) of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) (N:o 2020/1197) on European business statistics. The Regulation obliges Member States to produce index series on turnover data for certain industries.
The Statistics Act is the general act for the National Statistical Service (NSS). It contains the principles for the data collection, processing, and dissemination of official statistics. The act defines the roles of statistical authorities (Statistics Finland, Customs, National Institute for Health and Welfare, and Tike, Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) and other authorities producing statistics. The Statistics Act (280/04) states that Statistics Finland (SF) shall provide for the general development of official statistics in collaboration with other central government authorities. The aim of the NSS is to produce official statistics, Official Statistics of Finland (OSF). European law (especially the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on European statistics (EC) No 223/2009) applies to a large portion of OSF.
Ensuring statistical reporting The Statistics Act requires that the primarily exploited sources for statistical purposes shall be the data accumulated in the administration of general government and the data produced as a consequence of the normal activities of employers, self-employed persons, corporations, and foundations. SF has the right to have access to these data under the Statistics Act. In addition, all public and private entities in Finland are obliged to provide SF with data on their finances, products and staff as necessary for the production of statistics. The right of SF to collect data by virtue of the obligation does not extend, however, to data that are kept confidential for reasons of international relationships, public safety, the interest of national defence, or the safety of the state. Before any data collection based on the obligation, the statistical authority must consult the respondents or their representatives about the contents, timing, collection methods, duration of storing of the data as well as about costs. Besides those data obtained directly from administrative sources data from natural persons are always collected on voluntary basis by using interviewing or mail and web surveys. In addition, the interviewees must be informed in advance in a written form. The Statistics Act stipulates that a data provider who willfully fails to provide the obligatory data or willfully provides false data shall be sentenced to a fine. Nevertheless, SF is allowed to refrain from bringing charges if the violation is regarded as minor, but in practice charges have not been filed.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
According to the Statistics Act, data obtained by four statistical authorities may be released to other parties either if permitted by legal provisions explicitly concerning the NSS, or upon express consent of the subject of the data. As far as statistical authorities are concerned they are allowed to transmit confidential data with identifiers to each other if it is deemed necessary for the production of statistics. The same applies to the European Statistical System authorities (ESS Authorities). Co-ordination among data-producing agencies is normal practice at both specialist and top level.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Several legal acts guarantee that individual data should be kept confidential. According to the Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999) data collected for statistical purposes are confidential. The rule is not applied to the publicity of data describing the activities of central and local government authorities and production of public services or to certain data in the Register of Enterprises and Establishments. Under the Statistics Act, statistics shall be compiled so that the respondents whom they concern are not directly or indirectly identifiable. Violation of the secrecy obligation is punishable under the Penal Code. At the EU level, similar assurances are included in Council Regulation (EC) No 223/2009.
Details regarding the protection of information on private individuals are laid down in the Finnish Personal Data Act (523/1999). The Statistics Act obliges statistics-producing authorities to inform respondents in writing or in other appropriate manner about the intended use of the data, the procedures to be used in producing the statistics, the principles governing whether the provision of data is obligatory or voluntary, the rights of the respondents, the arrangements for protecting the data, and the duration the data will be stored.
The Statistics Act allows a statistical authority to grant access to confidential data for use in scientific research or statistical surveys if statistical units cannot be identified directly from them. The right to use data may be given in compliance with a well-defined process including a written application.
SF has implemented procedures to prevent disclosure of any individual data provider. It has published guidelines on how to apply the Statistics Act and the Personal Data Act, as well as guidelines on the protection of tabulated data on enterprises and individual persons. A section on data protection is included in the SF publication Quality Guidelines for Official Statistics. Micro data concerning individual persons released for scientific research are first edited to remove variables that would make it possible to directly identify individual persons such as name, address or personal identification number. Similar procedures are used with respect to sensitive information about units other than individual persons.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Data is not confidential at the classification level used in the monthly publication.
8.1. Release calendar
A release schedule for the coming year, specifying precise dates of release, is published in the Release Calendar in December by Statistics Finland.
8.2. Release calendar access
The release dates are available on the STAT website (Future releases).
8.3. Release policy - user access
Indices are published simultaneously to all interested parties on predefined days on the home page of the (Turnover of service industries). No one has prior access to the statistics before their general release.
Series are transmitted to Eurostat during the same day they are published in Finland. The transmission is done via STADIUM by using GESMES/TS coding system.
Commenting on erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics SF operates along the lines of the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics. SF has issued guidelines on how to respond to misuse of statistics. If erroneous interpretation or misuse of statistics is detected, contact is established to explain the issue. Concerning errors in the media, the DG may write a letter to the editor-in-chief.
Monthly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
A monthly publication is made available to the media and the public free of charge. The indices are published monthly on the STAT website (Turnover of trade).
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
A monthly publication is made available to the media and the public free of charge. The indices are published monthly on the STAT website (Turnover of trade).
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Indices and revisions are published in the StatFin-databank of Statistics Finland website (StatFin). Information published:
Original index series,
Working day adjusted index series,
Seasonally adjusted index series,
Trend series,
Annual change of the original index series, %
Cumulative annual change of the original index series, %
Three month moving annual change of the original index series, %
Annual change of the working day adjusted index series, %
Cumulative annual change of the working day adjusted index series, %
Three month moving annual change of the working day adjusted index series, %
Change of the seasonally adjusted index series from the previous month, %
Some of the above mentioned data is also published as quarterly, semiannual and annual aggregates. Revisions are published from the original, working day adjusted and seasonal adjusted index series. A revision is presented as the difference between percentage point changes found in the first and the latest release.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Statistics Finland's researcher services offer unit-level data, i.e. micro data, for scientific studies and statistical surveys. The conditions and rules with respect to data access can be found on the home page of the Research services.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data is sent monthly to Eurostat.
Dissemination on request:
Tailored tables and data files are provided for a fee.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
The documentation on methodology and sources used in preparing statistics is available on the website (Turnover of trade: documentation of statistics). Advance notice is given to the public on the statistics website (Turnover of trade) when major changes are introduced in methodology, sources, and statistical techniques. In the case of major changes, briefings for the main users and press will be organized.
Quality policy The main lines of quality management at SF are defined in the handbook Quality Guidelines for Official Statistics. There is also a group for the management of quality and processes at SF. The group reports to the DG. Statistical Methods unit takes care of methodology for quality assurance e.g. in sampling and editing-imputation process. SF develops its activities according to the Total Quality Management principles. It has been influenced by, among other things, the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model, the United Nations’ Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and Handbook of Statistical Organization, as well as the European Statistics Code of Practice. The quality criteria of OSF are harmonised with the respective criteria of the European Statistical System.
Impartiality of statistics Section 11 of the Finnish Statistics Act contains the requirement that statistics should be as reliable as possible, give a truthful picture, and make use,if possible, of uniform concepts, definitions, and classifications, as well as be timely. Similar provisions can be found in EU legislation. The Statistics Act, the Statistics Finland Act, and the Council of State Decree on Statistics Finland (1063/2002) and several other legal provisions support SF’s professional independence:
section 3 of the Statistics Finland Actdecrees that the internal organisation of SF is defined in internal Rules of Procedure which are decided by SF’s Director General (DG);
section 1 of the Council of State Decree on SF gives the DG the right to manage the activities and finances of SF;
section 5 of the Council of State Decree lays down that the DG shall be appointed by the Council of State for a fixed term. The nomination is made after open competition. The Decree also gives the DG the right to appoint the staff of SF, including directors of the departments as well as other staff members unless the decision-power has been delegated in the Rules of Procedure to some other official of SF;
section 10 of the Statistics Act provides that data processing shall take place in accordance with good statistical practice and the international recommendations and procedures generally applied in the field of statistics.
Selection of sources, methodology, and modes of dissemination The selection of sources, methodology and modes of dissemination of SF statistics are decided by SF alone. According to the Statistics Act, the choice of data sources, statistical techniques, and methods of dissemination should be based on statistical considerations (Sections 3, 10, 11, and 12). There are also responsibilities regarding cost-efficiency and the response burden of data collections (Section 4).
Guidelines for staff behavior On the basis of international recommendations SF has confirmed its own Guidelines on Professional Ethics. All employees are given a copy of this handbook. An internal ethical board meets regurlarly and reports on its decisions and discussions on the intranet open to all staff of SF.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The quality of the turnover of trade indices is good, although preliminary indices are slightly biased. The top management of SF has made several self-assessments in line with the EFQM model. There have also been external audits by e.g. the EU and IMF experts. Processes are in place to monitor the quality of the statistical process and the processes of individual statistics. Quality considerations are an integral part of the planning and evaluation of the statistical programme.
The process owner of statistical production and it’s supporting group monitor the quality and steer the standardisation of work processes. Statistics Finland has an internal quality audit system. The main objectives are to evaluate the ways of working, methods and techniques. An audit is carried out by an audit team of experts who are external in the sense that they do not have any direct connection with the production process in question. About 8 audits are carried out yearly.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The information is used for the follow-up and analysis of the development of the business statistics in Eurostat, in the European Central Bank, in some international organizations and Finland's public administration and area developing. The economic life and the research institutions use information to the evaluation of the market's and competitors' development. The Trend Indicator Of Output and Quarterly national accounts use Index of turnover in trade as their source material in Statistics Finland.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Co-operation between SF and important users with regard to the relevance of statistics and the users’ needs consists of an extensive feedback system and co-operative working groups with the main users, such as users of national accounts. There are regular meetings of SF directors and experts with the users, even at the senior management level. Users are usually also invited to participate in discussions concerning the establishment of new statistics or revisions of existing ones.
In addition, there are specific feedback systems for receiving the users’ opinions at SF. These systems consist of an anonymous feedback channel on the web, media monitoring, surveys among different user groups for the evaluation SF’s performance, user surveys (every second year, latest in 2015), and a system for collecting and disseminating information that is strategically important for SF. Specific statistical products conduct their own user surveys and keep in regular contact with their main interest groups.
12.3. Completeness
All Eurostat's STS requirements are fulfilled. Data cover almost the entire entrepreneurial activity in Finland. The latest index figures may change a little due to material accumulation and changes in business reporting. The measured variable is similar to Eurostat definitions. The used concept of turnover, corresponds to the turnover according to the Accounting Act. The used data may include the use of asset sales, other income and extraordinary items. The material available to the completeness of the statistical method can be considered almost unbiased.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Accuracy is good, due to total data in use. Data updates over one year backwards. However the most notable changes affect the five most recent months.
The average absolute revision of thepreliminary indices (sent at a lag of 28 days) of retail trade (Division 47 of NACE) in time period January to December 2024 was 0,95 percentage points in turnover and 0,95 percentage in volume of sales (measured in May 2025). The average revision of total trade (Section G of NACE) in time period January to December 2024 was 0,71 percentage in turnover and 0,72 percentage in volume of sales.
The most significant sources of error are usually coverage errors, data processing errors and classification changes. The first error source mentioned is the most significant one and the two latter are less significant.
The turnover data used in the preliminary indices is based on a cut-off sample and thus it is assumed that the units in the sample develop in a similar way with the rest of the population. However in different economic fluctuations it may be that the assumption does not apply and in that case the first estimates may be biased.
The deflator of sales is calculated deflating the turnover indices with suitable price indices. The revision of the volume of sales is mainly caused by the revision of the turnover indices. The price indices used in the deflation are consumer price indices, producer price indices and construction price indices. Before deflation and where relevant, the effect of the tax changes are removed from the price indices. More information of the accuracy of the price indices can be found from the metadata of the price index in question.
13.2. Sampling error
Turnover
The turnover data is derived from two different sources: survey and administrative data. The preliminary turnover indices (delay of one month) are both based on survey data, namely Statistics Finland's sales inquiry. It is carried out based on a cut-off sample which includes approximately 600 most important companies in the trade sector (Section G of NACE). The share of number of the legal units the sample covers is around 1.1 per cent. But when measured by turnover, the sample covers around 66 per cent of the total turnover in the trade section. The turnover coverage of the sample in retail trade division is around 60 per cent, in wholesale trade division around 66 per cent and in trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles around 72 per cent.
From delay of two months onwards the turnover information is complimented by VAT data for the cut-off part of the business population (small businesses).The first time (lag of around 30 days) VAT data is received the coverage is approximately 40 per cent and the second time (lag of around 60 days) approximately 99 per cent in terms of business turnover. It turns out that because we have total information on the history, we can disregard the direct collection of all the smaller businesses and use the cut-off sampling. This and the high concentration of the turnover greatly reduces the required sample size.
The accuracy of preliminary turnover indices may be reduced in some industries because the development of the large enterprises in the sample may differ from the rest of the population covered by the VAT data. However due to the sampling method being as a cut-off and the sample being quite fixed within years the sampling error is not relevant to be calculated. The average absolute revision caused by the cut-off sample in total trade (Section G of NACE) in time period January to December 2024 was 0.65 percentage points on year-on-year growth rate.
The samples of direct data collections are updated once in a year against the size and importance of an enterprise in its respective industry. Also during the year the sample is kept up to date by removing closures and companies whose activity is greatly reduced, or adding with new and expanding businesses. The sample size has been kept as minimum as possible while still achieving an adequate coverage in terms of turnover in different industries.
Volume of sales
The volume indices for the trade sector are compiled by deflating the turnover indices. The deflators are formed from many price indices thus estimating the sampling errors is complex. The average revision caused by the cut-off sample of turnover data in total trade (Section G of NACE) in time period January to December 2024 was 0.68 percentage points on year-on-year growth rate of volume of sales.
13.3. Non-sampling error
The preliminary turnover indices is calculated from a sample. When the preliminary indices were calculated the weighted response rate of total trade in time period January to December 2024 was around 99.3 percentage. There is no item non-response. From the beginning of January 2019 time series modelling had been used for helping calculations of the indices at a lag of around 45 days. From the beginning of January 2024, the lag of time series has been shortened to around 30 days. Same modelling methods is being used for the first estimates with the shortened timetable. Time series modelling can also be used for industries in a later period if needed. More information about the used forecast methods is available on the Methodological report.
The regular indicators, calculated from the VAT-source complemented by the direct inquiry data, are published 60 days after the end of the reference month. Due to accumulation of the VAT data the indices are revised for over a year. The data will be revised the most in the five latest months after the first publication. The first time (lag of around 30 days) VAT data is received the coverage is approximately 40 per cent and the second time (lag of around 60days) approximately 99 per cent in terms of business turnover.
The turnover used from VAT data does not fully correlate the turnover with the Accounting Act since it may contain for example fixed asset sales, other income and extraordinary items. The data may also contain for example optical reading errors or human errors in filling the forms. Because of the coverage of the data used the statistical method is considered nearly unbiased.
The latest two months in the time series are supplemented by the imputation of the missing data. The imputation is conducted on a legal unit level. The imputation may not perform well for the legal units with abnormal observations or when there is significant changes in business cycle. Due to the uncertainty of the used imputation method there might be occasional revision in the series in various industry levels.
14.1. Timeliness
The preliminary turnover indices are published 30 days after the end of the reference month. Data is revised until the annual level data is final in the Business Register of Statistics Finland.
14.2. Punctuality
National publication always on time. 100 percent of the deliveries to Eurostat on time (2024).
15.1. Comparability - geographical
European definitions are used and the data covers the whole national territory.
15.2. Comparability - over time
The effects of the changes in the methods are taken into consideration in statistics production so that no breaks occur in the time series of the published index series. Comparable data is available from 1995. Some of the series are produced only from 2010 and 2015 onwards.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Comparisons are made regularly, for example with the statistics on trade inventories and annual data from Business Register.
Sources of differences between statistics are as follows:
Separate purposes of use of statistics
The differences of the statistics are caused by the length of their description period, by the publication delay and scope of the data content. For STS statistics the description period and publication delay are shorter and their data content smaller than of Structural business and financial statement statistics. The annual statistics represent a cross section on the entrepreneurship of the year in question. In STS statistics, the information has been temporally made comparable for company restructuring and for example for branch transfers in order for the indicators to represent the economic development of each industry at the time. The annual statistics are completed from the ending of the examination year on about one year’s delay. The advance figures are completed on the delay of about nine months.
Calendar year vs. the accounting period
The turnover information of the Structural business and financial statement statistics are in accordance with the profit and loss account although with the practitioners the turnover consists of the yield of the profession. The turnover information is in these statistics from the accounting periods of enterprises which does not always correspond to the calendar year. While compiling the turnover index the sales are instead set on each calendar month irrespective of the accounting period. In the annual statistics accounting periods are fixed to that year where the period ends.
Comparability of concepts The STS information does not fully correspond to the turnover of profit and loss account, because the turnover of the VAT data may contain items which do not belong to the turnover of the profit and loss account. Those can be the sales of fixed assets lots, other yields, incidental items etc. which can not completely be removed from the data.
Some differences are likely to remain because of differences in statistical units used.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Aggregate industries are coherent with the sub-aggregates.
From 2023 onwards the information reported includes the total time spent on both data collection and validating the unit-level data from which the index is being calculated. Previously, the information on total costs of survey was reported according to the time used for data collection. This information is no longer available.
Total costs of survey data productions: 881 * person-hours. 881,6 1 person-hours
Total burden on respondents: 23902 person-hours.
1on year 2024
2on year 2019
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revisions are possible particularly during the following five months after the publications. Indices are revised according to changes in the data, and errors are corrected. More detailed explanation can be found on this website (Practices when changes are made to statistical data).
Same revision policies are applied to national releases and to transmissions to Eurostat. All revisions caused by accumulation of the data and corrections in/to the data used are applied immediately. Large revisions due to methodological changes are implemented at the same time with the change of the base year every five years. All the major changes in the statistical production are informed on the statistics website. Revisions are analysed for group and division levels monthly.
Comparisons are made once a year between STS and SBS data. See more in the paragraph 15.3. of this metadata report. Classification changes introduce regular revisions and are taken into account once a year on one year delay when the Business register is final for the described year.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Because the Tax Administration's self-assessed tax return data supplements also after the due date, the data is repeatedly updated for over a year. Also the compilation of structural business statistics make revisions to the classifications of the legal units for a year.
Revised figures are published monthly according to the changes in data, but not announced as such. Methodological changes, errors in the newest release and the outstandingly significant revisions are announced at the time of change. Errors are corrected immediately. An annual overhaul of seasonal adjustment models is carried out.
Monthly follow-up of revisions. Available for public in StatFin database.
The Mean Absolute Revision (MAR) and Mean Revision (MR) of year-on-year growth (2022-2024) rates for unadjusted and calendar adjusted data for total trade (G) turnover are as follows (calculated on the data when 12/2024 figures were first published):
unadjusted MAR = 0,75 %
unadjusted MR = -0,24 %
calendar adjusted MAR = 0,75 %
calendar adjusted MR = -0,25 %
And for total trade (G) volume of sales are as follows:
unadjusted MAR = 1,35 %
unadjusted MR = -0,87 %
calendar adjusted MAR = 1,35 %
calendar adjusted MR = -0,88 %
18.1. Source data
Administrative source (VAT data, which is basically a census) complemented by a statistical survey of the largest enterprises in each industry (cut-off sample). In trade (NACE sector G), there is 600 largest enterprises in the survey. Imputation is used for part of the missing data. The unit non response is corrected with one of the five simple rules, and imputed values are included into calculations only when the single imputation can be considered as reliable. In the first sampling, the coverage of the turnover VAT data is on average of 40 per cent, measured by the turnover of the companies. In the second sampling, the data is almost completely accumulated.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Monthly.
18.3. Data collection
A web questionnaire is used to collect the survey data. E-mail reminders are sent twice and thereafter the remaining non respondents are contacted by phone.
18.4. Data validation
Validation level 0:
VAT data is checked when it arrives before any further actions. Plausibility checks are made for instance on the number of observations and range of variable values.
Validation level 1:
Automatic corrections are made to the false or defective observations of the VAT data. Also some critically flawed observations are removed etc. Some partial non response is corrected by imputing on basis of the auxiliary variables on the data. Manual examination is concentrated mainly on the outlier observations.
Validation level 2-3:
The sums of data variables (main and auxiliary) of the most recent period are compared with those of previous versions. Revisions are analysed on micro and macro level. Yearly growth figures are compared with turnover figures of other domains. Also the special characteristic of each industry is taken into account while validating the data. Checks are made to Business Register data on micro level.
Transmission to Eurostat:
EWA (EDAMIS Web Application) is used for data transmission to Eurostat.
18.5. Data compilation
Type of index:
The index is calculated using a panel of enterprise level data on turnover. The sum of turnover during the reference month is compared to the sum of turnover during the same month previous year and the year-on-year percentage is calculated. The change is then used to calculate the index number of the latest reference month. This index number is corrected by the index of enterprises that have closed.
From the beginning of January 2019 time series modelling has been used for helping calculations of the indices at a lag of around 45 days. From the beginning of January 2024, the lag of time series has been shortened to around 30 days. Same modelling methods is being used for the first estimates with the shortened timetable. Indirect method is used to produce the aggregate indices to ensure consistency. Time series modelling can also be used for industries in a later period if needed. More information about the used forecast methods is available on the Methodological report.
Data editing: The combined micro level data, which includes both VAT and survey observations, is studied in detail for the most influential yearly changes in turnover. The erroneous figures are corrected. At this point, many of the mergers and split offs are detected. Most of the information of the mergers, split offs etc. come from administrative sources and are treated automatically. If detected in microlevel checking treatment is semiautomatic and the information have to be entered in the database manually. Also the most important closures and startups are ensured. A lot of time and effort is spent on this stage.
Estimates for non-response:
Imputations are made by 5 simple methods for the latest and the second latest month. Note that only the most reliable values are taken into account.
Method of weighting and chaining:
In the panel an enterprise gets the weight of its share of the sum of turnover in the panel for a given month. This is a fixed base year index.
For volume of sales the aggregation method was changed when changing the base year from 2010 to 2015. In the present method, aggregation is made to volume indices instead of deflators (old method). The old method, aggregation of deflators was used for flash indices (sent at a lag of 28 days) in volume of sales until the base year was changed to 2021=100.
18.6. Adjustment
Gross, working day adjusted, seasonally adjusted and trend series with TRAMO/SEATS-method.
software used is JDemetra+ 2.2.5,
the automated approach is used for those series for which it performs well. Others are modeled manually,
Attached metadata template's (Seasonal adjustment) answers concerning seasonal adjustment is coherent in all produced levels required in EBS regulation.
The seasonal adjustment is performed on partially overlapping sub-periods, where structural breaks in seasonality patterns are detected. The overlapping period is set to twelve months in order to avoid breaks in the final seasonally adjusted series.
The indices of turnover and volume in retail trade describe development in the turnover and sales volume of retail trade enterprises. Turnover for the largest enterprises in their respective industries is described with the data collected with the sales inquiry while the data on sales obtained from the self-assessed tax returns data are exploited to describe the turnover of other enterprises. Turnover is exclusive of value added tax.
8 August 2025
The index of turnover of trade describes development in the turnover of enterprises engaged in trade. Turnover for the largest enterprises in their respective industries is described with the data collected with the sales inquiry while the data on sales obtained from periodic tax returns are exploited to describe the turnover of other enterprises. Turnover is exclusive of value-added tax.
The volume index of trade sales is aimed to measure the volume of the trade sales. It is obtained when price change is removed from a value index by means of a price index (deflation), in other words a value index is divided by price index and the obtained quotient is multiplied by one hundred.
Variables on questionnaire in sales inquiry: Domestic sales, sales abroad and of which sales of goods between countries abroad.
Reference period: flow during the calendar month.
Variables on administrative declarations: Domestic sales by tax rate, Sales of goods to other EU Member States, Sales of services to other EU Member States, Sales of construction services, Sales taxable at zero VAT rate.
Reference period: flow during the calendar month, quarter or year.
Administrative source: legal unit. Statistical survey: legal unit, kind-of-activity unit for the major multi-industrial enterprises.
Statistical population is legal units which submit Periodic tax returns to the Finnish Tax Administration and fall into NACE category G. Business register is used for NACE information. The statistical population in trade is about 55 000 enterprises.
The frame is updated monthly and demographic changes, such as start-ups and the most important mergers and split-offs, are included instantly. Closures are included as soon as they are noticed, at the latest in four months delay. Of enterprises practising business, those classified in Statistics Finland's Business Register under the industries to be published are included in the calculation. The most significant multi-industry enterprises have been divided into so-called kind-of-activity units to improve purity by industry.
Units where turnover is mainly comprised of non-market activities are excluded from the population of the statistics from the beggining of base year 2021. This is the case, for example, with public administration actors. In addition, efforts are made to eliminate from the turnover of enterprises activities that are not considered to consist of goods or services produced for the market. In practice, auxiliary enterprises serving business activities in which turnover consists of internal services are removed from the statistics on this basis. Foreign corporations are not included in the population of the statistics either.
Geographical area covered: The whole country including the Autonomous Region Of Åland.
The turnover/volume of sales figures also include activities carried outside Finnish territories. The largest companies are inquired monthly about the sales of goods and services from abroad to abroad. This information may contain e.g merchanting if it is reported on the financial statement of the company operating in Finland. Fully comprehensive information according to the National Accounts definition of global production has not been acquired through the questionnaire. The quality of turnover in major globally active enterprises has been examined but there is no comprehensive information on its coverage.
Nace Rev. 2.
The share of the sales of goods and services from abroad to abroad in the sales inquiry
45 Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
0,4 %
46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
1,3 %
47 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles
0,0 %
Month.
Accuracy is good, due to total data in use. Data updates over one year backwards. However the most notable changes affect the five most recent months.
The average absolute revision of thepreliminary indices (sent at a lag of 28 days) of retail trade (Division 47 of NACE) in time period January to December 2024 was 0,95 percentage points in turnover and 0,95 percentage in volume of sales (measured in May 2025). The average revision of total trade (Section G of NACE) in time period January to December 2024 was 0,71 percentage in turnover and 0,72 percentage in volume of sales.
The most significant sources of error are usually coverage errors, data processing errors and classification changes. The first error source mentioned is the most significant one and the two latter are less significant.
The turnover data used in the preliminary indices is based on a cut-off sample and thus it is assumed that the units in the sample develop in a similar way with the rest of the population. However in different economic fluctuations it may be that the assumption does not apply and in that case the first estimates may be biased.
The deflator of sales is calculated deflating the turnover indices with suitable price indices. The revision of the volume of sales is mainly caused by the revision of the turnover indices. The price indices used in the deflation are consumer price indices, producer price indices and construction price indices. Before deflation and where relevant, the effect of the tax changes are removed from the price indices. More information of the accuracy of the price indices can be found from the metadata of the price index in question.
Euro, data is published as indices.
Type of index:
The index is calculated using a panel of enterprise level data on turnover. The sum of turnover during the reference month is compared to the sum of turnover during the same month previous year and the year-on-year percentage is calculated. The change is then used to calculate the index number of the latest reference month. This index number is corrected by the index of enterprises that have closed.
From the beginning of January 2019 time series modelling has been used for helping calculations of the indices at a lag of around 45 days. From the beginning of January 2024, the lag of time series has been shortened to around 30 days. Same modelling methods is being used for the first estimates with the shortened timetable. Indirect method is used to produce the aggregate indices to ensure consistency. Time series modelling can also be used for industries in a later period if needed. More information about the used forecast methods is available on the Methodological report.
Data editing: The combined micro level data, which includes both VAT and survey observations, is studied in detail for the most influential yearly changes in turnover. The erroneous figures are corrected. At this point, many of the mergers and split offs are detected. Most of the information of the mergers, split offs etc. come from administrative sources and are treated automatically. If detected in microlevel checking treatment is semiautomatic and the information have to be entered in the database manually. Also the most important closures and startups are ensured. A lot of time and effort is spent on this stage.
Estimates for non-response:
Imputations are made by 5 simple methods for the latest and the second latest month. Note that only the most reliable values are taken into account.
Method of weighting and chaining:
In the panel an enterprise gets the weight of its share of the sum of turnover in the panel for a given month. This is a fixed base year index.
For volume of sales the aggregation method was changed when changing the base year from 2010 to 2015. In the present method, aggregation is made to volume indices instead of deflators (old method). The old method, aggregation of deflators was used for flash indices (sent at a lag of 28 days) in volume of sales until the base year was changed to 2021=100.
Administrative source (VAT data, which is basically a census) complemented by a statistical survey of the largest enterprises in each industry (cut-off sample). In trade (NACE sector G), there is 600 largest enterprises in the survey. Imputation is used for part of the missing data. The unit non response is corrected with one of the five simple rules, and imputed values are included into calculations only when the single imputation can be considered as reliable. In the first sampling, the coverage of the turnover VAT data is on average of 40 per cent, measured by the turnover of the companies. In the second sampling, the data is almost completely accumulated.
Monthly.
The preliminary turnover indices are published 30 days after the end of the reference month. Data is revised until the annual level data is final in the Business Register of Statistics Finland.
European definitions are used and the data covers the whole national territory.
The effects of the changes in the methods are taken into consideration in statistics production so that no breaks occur in the time series of the published index series. Comparable data is available from 1995. Some of the series are produced only from 2010 and 2015 onwards.
