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 data are collected monthly with reference to the main retail trade and wholesale activities as in NACE Rev.2. Are also included maintenance and repair of motorcycles and related parts and accessories.
3.2. Classification system
NACE Rev. 2.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Activities covered: all groups of divisions 45, 46 and 47 of NACE Rev. 2.
For Division 47 enterprises of all sizes are covered. For Division 45 e 46 enterprises with more than 2 employees are covered. Excepition Group 45.1 where the threshold is set at 5 employees and Group 46.1 that does not use a threshold.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
List and definition of variables: Turnover and volume of sales for wholesale and retail trade (turnover includes VAT for division 47).
3.5. Statistical unit
Reporting unit: Enterprise
Observation unit(s): Enterprise
3.6. Statistical population
The total number of enterprises for classified in Division 47 of NACE Rev.2. are about 8,000, in Division 46 are about 5,742 and in Division 45 are about 2,131.
The frame for identifying units for the population is the Business Register (Archivio Statistico delle Imprese Attive - ASIA).
3.7. Reference area
Whole national territory
3.8. Coverage - Time
For Division 47 the series of index with base 2021=100 start from January 2000.
For Divisions 46 and 45 the series of index with base 2021=100 start from January 2021.
3.9. Base period
Starting from January 2024 indices are in base 2021=100
Indices, percentage changes (%).
The data are collected monthly.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Legal basis
National level:
This is one of the mandatory surveys fixed every year by a Decree of the President of the Republic (D.P.R.).
European level:
The legal basis for the STS indicators are the Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European business statistics, repealing 10 legal acts in the field of business statistics (EBS-Regulation) and the Commission Implementing Regulation 2020/1197ANNEX VII laying down technical specifications and arrangements pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 (General Implementing Act). Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1003 granting derogations to certain Member States with respect to the transmission of statistics pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197. Obligation on units to provide data: Surveys are mandatory. Penalties are foreseen for non-response. The survey is mandatory. Enterprises with more than 100 persons employed or with a yearly turnover equal or greater than 50 million will be fined if they do not provide information.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not available.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Several national legal acts guarantee the confidentiality of data requested for statistical purposes. According to art. 9, paragraph 1 of the Legislative Decree n. 322 of 1989, personal data can only be disseminated in aggregate form, in order to make it impossible to identify individuals. The Personal Data Protection Code - introduced by the Legislative Decree no. 196 of 30 June 2003 - provides special rules concerning the processing of personal data for statistical purposes within the National Statistical System (Sistan). Further, in order to make statistical secrecy and protection of personal data effective, Istat is currently taking appropriate organisational, logistical, methodological and statistical measures in accordance with internationally established standards.
Links to relevant legal acts on statistics are also listed on the website of Sistan.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Survey elementary data are treated as confidential. Aggregated data are disseminated in IstatData.
Some variables can be transmitted to Eurostat as confidential when they are not disseminated in Italy.
8.1. Release calendar
Every year, in December ISTAT publishes a release calendar providing the monthly release dates for the coming year. The calendar is distributed to the press and is available free of charge to interested parties.
Every month, for division 47, data are transmitted to Eurostat as confidential, via Edamis (file extension '.xml'), with a delay of 30 days from the reference period. With the national press release, after few days, data become public. For divisions 45 and 46 data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by issuing the national press release. Time series are available on IStatData database and, through thematic information systems, users can choose information according to their needs, building customised tables or downloading prepackaged datasets. Data are always accompanied by meta- information, methodologies, classifications, definitions. Microdata files are released free of charge and in compliance with the principle of statistical secrecy confidentiality and protection of personal data.
Monthly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
'Retail trade' press release and 'Turnover in industry and services' press release are posted on Istat website according to a prefixed annual release calendar, published by the previous December.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Data are made available also through a statistical yearbook: "Annuario Statistico Italiano" (ASI) - Italian Statistical Yearbook.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Monthly data are also available in the Istat database (IStatDAta) theme "Services", data set "Index of retail trade sales" and "Indexes of turnover in other services".
The on-line database IstatData is open and free, statistics are organised by theme in a two-level hierarchical tree. Data are presented in aggregate form in multidimensional tables; acting on variables and reference periods, users can create custom tables and graphs. The system can be searched by keyword, theme and region.
A wide range of standard metadata facilitates the retrieval and understanding of statistics by users.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Validated microdata are stored in the repository of the Institute, ARMIDA.
This repository also collects additional useful information, such as metadata and classifications, to ensure the correct interpretation of the data.
Microdata are released for research purposes in compliance with the principle of statistical secrecy and protection of personal data.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Data trasmetted to Eurostat via Edamis.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
A short description of the methodology and characteristics of the survey is included in the technical explanatory note, attached to the monthly press release. Concerning indexes with base 2021, further details can be found in: "Retail Sales Value Indices - The New 2021 Base", released on 15 March 2024 (the page is only in Italian).
10.7. Quality management - documentation
The Istat Information system on quality of statistical production processes SIQual contains information on the execution on Istat statistical production processes and on activities developed to guarantee quality of the produced statistical information. For Details: SIQual- Process description.
11.1. Quality assurance
Istat quality policy is coherent with the European framework developed by Eurostat, taking up its main principles and definitions. Further details are available on Data quality tools.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
The trade-off between timeliness (fundamental for STS data) and accuracy must be considered.
Any initiative in favor of the overall quality of the survey process and data produced is considered and, if possible, carried out.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Main users are:
Institutions: government departments, ECB, national central bank, international organisations, etc.
Social actors: employers' organisations, trade unions, lobby groups, etc.
Media.
Researchers & students.
Enterprises/businesses.
Internal users.
Eurostat.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
User satisfaction can be evaluated on the basis of communications (formal or informal) and exchanges of information. The overall satisfaction is good.
12.3. Completeness
European requirements are fulfilled.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Data are collected by a sample of retail trade enterprises, stratified according to the main economic activity (NACE classes and fifth digit for the Italian version of the classification), and size. The accuracy overall is an important goal, that is pursued also by reducing as much as possible non-sampling errors and analysing revisions. Extended follow up actions are made in order to reduce non-responses. The sources used to produce monthly indicators are the business register and the survey data. Monthly data are collected by electronic questionnaire, available in a web portal used by our NSI to gather all survey data form enterprises. Once a year part of the sample is refreshed, in order to reduce burden on respondents, to guarantee a good level for coverage and to take into account of the business demography. Nonresponse is handled by imputation methods, which take into consideration both longitudinal and cross-sectional data. The volume indices are obtained by a deflator of sales, calculated with suitable price indices. The revision of the volume of sales is mainly caused by the revision of the turnover indices. Some analyses are being carried out to experiment the use of administrative sources. For retail trade the use of tax authority information to further improve turnover estimates is still at an experimental stage.
13.2. Sampling error
For division 47 the sample consists of two parts: census for enterprises with more than 49 persons employed, sample for enterprises with 1-49 persons employed. A measure for the sampling error cannot be calculated as data are not collected by a probability sample.
For divisions 45 and 46 the sampling error for the sampled subpopulation is measured in terms of coefficient of variation and is set equal to 3% for all the estimates domain
13.3. Non-sampling error
Non sampling error is controlled through specific procedures: constant follow up actions, support to help units with the questionnaire compilation, use of automatic tools (i.e. applications) developed to check data. Particular attention is addressed to larger units.
14.1. Timeliness
All the deadlines stated in the EBS Regulation are met.
For Division 47 the Indexes for all the aggregates, listed in the EBS Regulation, are transmitted to Eurostat within 30 days. At a national level, monthly indexes are released on average within 38 days after the end of the reference month.
For Division 45 and 46 monthly press releases are disseminated as provisional 60 days after the end of the reference period. Final data are released 90 days after the end of the reference period. Both European and national releases.
14.2. Punctuality
Both European and national releases are punctual, adhering to the designated timelines for dissemination.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Not applicable, only national level.
15.2. Comparability - over time
For Division 47 data on main aggregates are comparable since 1995. When changes in source data, methodology, and statistical techniques are introduced, time series are back-casted as far back as reasonably possible.
For Division 45 and 46 are comparable since 2021.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Comparisons with structural business statistics data and estimates from non official sources are made.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Internal coherence between aggregates is verified.
The cost estimate is compiled in terms of total number of hours worked (THW). It is equal to the product of three terms: (total) Annual Working Days (AWD), (total) Hours Worked per Day (HWD), Number of Persons involved in the Survey (NPS).
AWD
HWD
NPS
Cost estimate (THW)
220
7.12
4.5
7,049
The burden estimate is compiled in terms of total number ofminutes (TNM) taken to fill in the (web) questionnaire. The burden is applied to respondent, i.e. the person who fills in the questionnaire on behalf of the enterprise. To estimate it, two elements have been taken into account. The former distinguishes between beginner and expert respondent, to point out respectively the person who fills in the web questionnaire for the first time and the one who is familiar with filling in the form. The latter, closely concerns the information that have to be monthly provided. On average, by combining these two elements, the time spent to fill in the questionnaire (just the burden) is estimated in terms of total number of minutes between a minimum and a maximum threshold.
Type of Respondent
Burden estimate (TNM)
Beginner
15 min. ≤burden≤45 min.
Expert
10 min. ≤burden≤30 min.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revisions are mainly due to new information (late respondents), and to changes in data of single enterprises and change of base year.
In case of exceptional revisions due to error correction a prompt communication is given both to Eurostat and on the Istat website.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Major changes in methodology, sources and statistical techniques are announced in ad hoc publications. Advance notification of methodological changes is also provided through seminars and papers disseminated throughout the scientific community. Monthly revisions (routine revisions) are also scheduled and concern both indexes transmitted to Eurostat and indexes nationally released. The revision is made in order to take into account the additional information from the respondents.
Unadjusted Division 47 Total
Period
MR
MAR
RMAR%
MaxAR
Value
2022-2024
0
0.347
9.3
1.1
Volume
2022-2024
0.603
0.653
27.7
1.7
Unadjusted Divisions 45-46 Total
Period
MR
MAR
RMAR%
MaxAR
Value
2024
-0.18
0.208
6.7
0.7
Volume
2024
-0.08
0.133
4.4
0.5
Working-day adjusted Division 47 Total
Period
MR
MAR
RMAR%
MaxAR
Value
2022-2024
-0.025
0.325
8.9
1.0
Volume
2022-2024
0,603
0.653
27.7
1.7
Seasonal adjusted Division 47 Total
Period
MR
MAR
RMAR%
MaxAR
Value
2022-2024
-0.039
0.272
43.6
2.1
Volume
2022-2024
0.469
0.519
21.5
1.2
Seasonal adjusted Divisions 45-46 Total
Period
MR
MAR
RMAR%
MaxAR
Value
2024
-0.058
0.242
14.9
0.5
Volume
2024
-0.05
0.25
15.6
0.6
18.1. Source data
Type of source: Sample survey.
Frame on which the source is based: ASIA register managed and updated by the ISTAT. For Division 47 Sample or census: Sample survey for enterprises with less than 50 persons employed. Census for enterprises with more than 49 persons employed. Criteria for stratification: Stratification is based on:
3 employment classes (up to 5, 6-49, 50 or more);
NACE Classes and/or categories;
Groups of products sold.
Threshold values and percentages: A threshold is represented by 50 persons employed. Frequency of updating the sample: The sample is updated every year, in order to take into account changes occurred in the population of interest concerning both number of units per strata and single enterprises.
For Division 45 and 46 a stratified sample is selected.
Two criteria for stratification are taken into account:
economic activity (Division or Group) and size of the enterprise (number of employees).
The threshold is given by number of persons employed classes: For group 45.1 the threshold is set at 5 employees (classes 5-19; 20-99; 100 and more), for group 46.1 there isn't a threshold, for the other groups the classes of employees are 2-4; 5-19; 20-99; 100 and more.
At the beginning of every year the samples of the surveys are updated to manage panel attrition
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Data are collected monthly.
18.3. Data collection
Questionnaires used in the survey: An electronic questionnaire is available for the collection of monthly data.
Planned changes in national questionnaires: No changes have been planned.
Data collection media: Starting from January 2017 data are collected trough the portal Portale imprese only (the page is only in Italian).
Planned changes in data collection methodology: No changes have been planned.
18.4. Data validation
Data collected are recorded in a database and, before being validated, are checked using several tools available in the survey information system. Checks are made considering the coherence of data with respect to the whole dataset. Checks using historical data are also carried out.
Before data transmission to Eurostat file format, code lists and consistency are checked by automatic procedures.
18.5. Data compilation
For Division 47 Estimates for non-response: Non responses are imputed each month. Different methods are used depending on the availability of data at the level of single enterprise. Generally speaking methods are based on light modifications of the methods proposed by Hidiroglou and Berthelot for the short-term surveys of Statistics Canada. The general idea is to exploit as much as possible all available data at the enterprise level. If an estimation is needed for a certain enterprise not responding in the month t, two main rules hold:
If no previous response is available for this enterprise (due, for instance, to a partial rotation of the sample), imputation is carried out on the basis of the average change calculated for respondent enterprises in the same stratum.
If at least one previous response is available, the estimate is obtained applying to the last available response referred the percent change occurd between that month and the reference month to be estimated based upon respondent units.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels: Not relevant for our retail trade statistics compilation, as no grossing-up is applied in the indexes calculation.
Type of index: Laspeyres index with a fixed base. Method of weighting and chaining: Weights are elaborated using structural business statistics, data from the survey itself and external sources or estimates. Weights are given by an estimate of total turnover of each stratum referred to the universe of enterprises in the base year. Planned changes in production methods: None.
For Divisions 45 and 46 Non responses are not estimated
18.6. Adjustment
WDA, SA and other calculations: Starting from the reference month August 2001 seasonal adjustment is performed for the following series: total retail trade turnover, retail trade turnover of food products, retail trade turnover of non-food products. Working day adjustment is carried out for all the series transmitted to Eurostat: Deflators are estimated according to the aggregation level indicated in EU Regulation, on the basis of monthly indices of consumer prices HICP. For what concerns national dissemination, seasonal adjusted data are produced for Food, Non-food and Total series.
For Division 45 and 46 the seasonally adjusted data (Tramo/Seats procedure using RJDemetra software) are released for the longer series available (January 2021). The statistical models used for seasonality adjustment and correction are reviewed annually to ensure their ability to accurately represent the trend of the individual time series.
With reference to the seasonally adjustment procedure used to treat the indicators disseminated, the seasonal adjustment models were reviewed to manage the exceptional decreases caused by the COVID-19 pandemic emergency taking into consideration the Eurostat guidelines.
The data are collected monthly with reference to the main retail trade and wholesale activities as in NACE Rev.2. Are also included maintenance and repair of motorcycles and related parts and accessories.
13 June 2025
List and definition of variables: Turnover and volume of sales for wholesale and retail trade (turnover includes VAT for division 47).
Reporting unit: Enterprise
Observation unit(s): Enterprise
The total number of enterprises for classified in Division 47 of NACE Rev.2. are about 8,000, in Division 46 are about 5,742 and in Division 45 are about 2,131.
The frame for identifying units for the population is the Business Register (Archivio Statistico delle Imprese Attive - ASIA).
Whole national territory
The data are collected monthly.
Data are collected by a sample of retail trade enterprises, stratified according to the main economic activity (NACE classes and fifth digit for the Italian version of the classification), and size. The accuracy overall is an important goal, that is pursued also by reducing as much as possible non-sampling errors and analysing revisions. Extended follow up actions are made in order to reduce non-responses. The sources used to produce monthly indicators are the business register and the survey data. Monthly data are collected by electronic questionnaire, available in a web portal used by our NSI to gather all survey data form enterprises. Once a year part of the sample is refreshed, in order to reduce burden on respondents, to guarantee a good level for coverage and to take into account of the business demography. Nonresponse is handled by imputation methods, which take into consideration both longitudinal and cross-sectional data. The volume indices are obtained by a deflator of sales, calculated with suitable price indices. The revision of the volume of sales is mainly caused by the revision of the turnover indices. Some analyses are being carried out to experiment the use of administrative sources. For retail trade the use of tax authority information to further improve turnover estimates is still at an experimental stage.
Indices, percentage changes (%).
For Division 47 Estimates for non-response: Non responses are imputed each month. Different methods are used depending on the availability of data at the level of single enterprise. Generally speaking methods are based on light modifications of the methods proposed by Hidiroglou and Berthelot for the short-term surveys of Statistics Canada. The general idea is to exploit as much as possible all available data at the enterprise level. If an estimation is needed for a certain enterprise not responding in the month t, two main rules hold:
If no previous response is available for this enterprise (due, for instance, to a partial rotation of the sample), imputation is carried out on the basis of the average change calculated for respondent enterprises in the same stratum.
If at least one previous response is available, the estimate is obtained applying to the last available response referred the percent change occurd between that month and the reference month to be estimated based upon respondent units.
Estimates for grossing-up to population levels: Not relevant for our retail trade statistics compilation, as no grossing-up is applied in the indexes calculation.
Type of index: Laspeyres index with a fixed base. Method of weighting and chaining: Weights are elaborated using structural business statistics, data from the survey itself and external sources or estimates. Weights are given by an estimate of total turnover of each stratum referred to the universe of enterprises in the base year. Planned changes in production methods: None.
For Divisions 45 and 46 Non responses are not estimated
Type of source: Sample survey.
Frame on which the source is based: ASIA register managed and updated by the ISTAT. For Division 47 Sample or census: Sample survey for enterprises with less than 50 persons employed. Census for enterprises with more than 49 persons employed. Criteria for stratification: Stratification is based on:
3 employment classes (up to 5, 6-49, 50 or more);
NACE Classes and/or categories;
Groups of products sold.
Threshold values and percentages: A threshold is represented by 50 persons employed. Frequency of updating the sample: The sample is updated every year, in order to take into account changes occurred in the population of interest concerning both number of units per strata and single enterprises.
For Division 45 and 46 a stratified sample is selected.
Two criteria for stratification are taken into account:
economic activity (Division or Group) and size of the enterprise (number of employees).
The threshold is given by number of persons employed classes: For group 45.1 the threshold is set at 5 employees (classes 5-19; 20-99; 100 and more), for group 46.1 there isn't a threshold, for the other groups the classes of employees are 2-4; 5-19; 20-99; 100 and more.
At the beginning of every year the samples of the surveys are updated to manage panel attrition
Monthly.
All the deadlines stated in the EBS Regulation are met.
For Division 47 the Indexes for all the aggregates, listed in the EBS Regulation, are transmitted to Eurostat within 30 days. At a national level, monthly indexes are released on average within 38 days after the end of the reference month.
For Division 45 and 46 monthly press releases are disseminated as provisional 60 days after the end of the reference period. Final data are released 90 days after the end of the reference period. Both European and national releases.
Not applicable, only national level.
For Division 47 data on main aggregates are comparable since 1995. When changes in source data, methodology, and statistical techniques are introduced, time series are back-casted as far back as reasonably possible.
