The retail trade sector in non-specialized stores (NACE 4711) represents a backbone of Romania’s economy, with a substantial contribution both economically and socially. Focused on the sale of food products, beverages, and tobacco, this sector generates a complex network of interdependencies with fields such as agriculture, logistics, energy, and warehousing services, thereby amplifying its impact on the entire national economy. It is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, with an average annual growth rate of +9.4% in turnover and 10.4% in labor productivity between 2008 and 2023, thus having a strong positive impact on revenues and contributions to the state budget. Based on a Leontief-type input-output analysis, a significant multiplier effect is evident. Each additional leu generated in this sector produces between 1.7 and 2.34 lei in the economy, depending on the type of multiplier. Additionally, each leu invested generates over 1.7 lei in wage income and nearly 2 lei in gross value added. The sector makes a consistent contribution to GDP formation, and in 2023 it accounted for 6.19% of Romania’s gross domestic product, marking a 29% increase compared to the previous year—a clear indication of its expansion and economic spillover effect. The sector’s impact also extends to employment, supporting over 680,000 jobs, of which approximately one third are direct, while the rest are indirect and induced. This capacity to sustain employment highlights the sector’s systemic role in maintaining labor market balance, particularly in adjacent industries such as distribution, transportation, and goods production. From a financial perspective, commercial markup margins in 2023 are reasonable, with an average of 18.6%, though notable differences exist between small companies (24.3%) and large companies (17.2%). Operational profitability remains at a normal level (4%), indicating overall financial stability. The investment level is significant—3.72 billion lei in 2023—most of which comes from large companies. These investments cover a wide range of priorities, from logistics infrastructure to the digitalization of operations. The analyzed sector is a significant contributor to the state budget, particularly through VAT and social contributions. In 2023, it contributed a total of 8,109 million lei to the state budget (excluding property taxes, taxes on the use of goods, etc.), representing 3.2% of total VAT collected and 2.8% of corporate income tax, among others. Assessment of the economic and social impact of the retail sector in Romania
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