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~ DirectLink ~

SWEDISH E-RETAIL

INDUSTRY SHOWS

MIXED PERFORMANCE

DURING SECOND

QUARTER 2023

Text: Olof Källgren // Photos: DirectLink

With the E-barometer report, PostNord monitors and analyses e-commerce development
in the Swedish retail industry in cooperation with the Swedish Trade Council and HUI
Research. The report is published quarterly and is based on five consumer surveys and one
survey with e-commerce companies.

he last few years have been marked by to be favourable for fashion retailers, as public holidays
several societal earthquakes that have and summer vacations motivate people to upgrade their
Taffected different sectors in different ways. summer wardrobe. This was also the case this year. However,
As of the second quarter of 2023 is concerned, the sector is affected by pressure on consumers, which has
development is more divergent than ever. The led to a decrease in volume during the quarter despite an
most obvious difference is between pharmacy increase in sales, mainly due to price increases. Thus, fewer
and building products, which both generate very garments and footwear are sold, but higher prices still result
large figures. The difference is that pharmacy is in a figure in the black for the quarter. The second-hand
reporting positive figures while building products segment continued to grow as an affordable option, but as
is reporting negative. Sectors with higher average price becomes increasingly important, fast fashion has also
amounts, which sell a lot of what are known as exploded. Chinese ultra-fast fashion brand Temu´s app was
capital-intensive goods, are also negatively affected the most frequently downloaded app in Sweden following its
by consumers holding off on large purchases due to launch in July.
the state of the economy. Sectors such as furniture,
building products and home electronics are most Sector Development: Books and Media
affected. These sectors also saw major increases The book sector, which has experienced both challenges
during the pandemic when Swedes made significant and growth in recent years, is at minus 7% for the second
investments in their homes, investments that do quarter of the year. The semi-annual report of the Swedish
not need to be made again at this stage. Of the nine Publisher’s Association indicates that, to a certain
categories studied, three show growth during the extent, people are returning to physical bookstores, but
second quarter: pharmacy products, clothing and the increase in such stores does not compensate for the
footwear, and sports and leisure products. decline in online sales for its entirety. The tough financial
situation of consumers is also evident in this report. The
Sector Development: Clothing and Footwear volume of foreign publications continues to grow, with
TThe fashion and footwear sector grew by 2% in sales sales of printed books rising by 9% in the first half of the
value during the second quarter. Historically, Q2 tends year and digital streaming growing by a total of 22% in the

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