According to the information coming from the respondent retail sales enterprises, basically, I quarter 2000 marks no clear cut tendency in sales. There are certain commodity groups that featured growth, but for the most part of them the sales were down. Neither of the commodity groups featured marked growth in sales.

The recession was the strongest on the following groups: "jewellery" (-29%), "electric appliances" (-23%), "TV and radio sets" (-22%). The recession recorded for construction materials (-18%) and fruit and vegetables (-7%) may be related to their seasonal demand which, accordingly, commands their supply. Marked was the decline in sales of furniture ( -8%). Also, the same tendency was registered in respect offish & related products, clothes, stationery.

For supermarkets who trade in homemade goods, the share of home-made products in I quarter 2000 makes: 94% for meat and sausage; 82% for fish and related products; 73% for fruit and vegetables; 97% for milk and dairy products; 98% for bread and related products; 93% for confectionery goods; 90% for wine and alcohol; 66% for clothes, footwear, fabric, knitted goods, perfumes, sport goods; 68% for electric appliances; 68% jewellery, clocks & watches; 56% for TV and radio sets; 78% - books; 66% - household goods and household chemicals; 74% -construction materials; 86% - furniture; 69% - stationery goods.

Supplier contracts on home-made goods were increased in I quarter by 33% of the enterprises, 12% of the companies reduced them. Another 34% of the enterprises shrank supplier contracts on imported goods. The increase in this respect was reported by only 4% of the enterprises. Such figures indicate on both sustained growth in market supply of home-made products and a bit higher rates of recession in imports supply. In relation to the previous quarter, the share the enterprises who shrank supplier contracts on imported goods, grew by 5 percentage points, and the share of those who increased the contracts on imported goods, fell by 3 percentage point.

As regards financial performance of sales businesses, 22% of the respondents assess own performance in I quarter as "up" in relation to the previous quarter. However, another 36% give vice versa assessment in relation of previous periods.

The question about the strongest factors affecting growth of sales was answered by the respondents in the following way:

• 1,0%- none;
• 86,9% - poor customer demand;
• 0,6% - shortage of skilled staff;
• 44,2% - shortage of circulated assets;
• 2,5% - shortage of trading premises;
• 14,9% - leasing rates;
• 12,4% - transport overheads;
• 3,0% - problems with search of supplier contracts;
• 60,7%- taxes;
• 48.7% - competition in own sector;
• 0,7% - shortage of warehouses;
• 13,3% - hard access to bank loans.

Competitive pressure in the sector was persisting over I quarter 2000, with 58% of the enterprises reporting it tendency as "up" (average balance figure being +57%).

Official employment has been down in the sector since long and in whatever ownership category. The least shrinkage in employment was reported at private enterprises (-3%), far broader scales- at public (-39%) and collective (-18%) enterprises.

Own financial & economic performance is assessed as "good" by 6% of the respondents (which makes 1 percentage point lower than in the previous quarter), 60% assess it as "satisfactory" and 30% of the respondents - as "bad". The largest share of the enterprises reporting on "good" assessments of own financial & economic conditions is found in private ownership category (13%). In either of public and collective ownership categories this share makes only 5%.