Analysis of the productivity of the retail sector on example of small retail formats in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

Small trade formats, like traditional trade formats, play a significant role in the trade sector and on the consumer goods retail market in the Republic of Serbia with a network of around 12.000 retail stores. On the other hand, the issue of productivity in trade in the conditions of labor deficit in this sector is increasingly important. The paper deals with the research of the productivity of retail stores with an emphasis on smaller trade formats such as independent trade shops. An analysis of the productivity and differences in the productivity of these trade formats was carried out in relation to the size of these stores and the degree of urbanity of the locations where they are located, using the example of consumer goods retail stores of a trade chain in one of the largest cities of the Republic of Serbia. The research analyzed more than 4000 data on sales of these stores in 2022, which were put in relation to the number of employees of individual retail stores. The results of the analysis are given by month as well as by quarter for the entire 2022. The analysis was carried out using parametric statistical tests. Precisely, the t test was used to determine differences in productivity based on the urbanity of the location of the retail store and ANOVA was used to determine differences in productivity based on the size of the retail store. The work aims to determine the existence of differences in the productivity of retail stores of fast-moving consumer goods in relation to their individual size and the degree of urbanity of the location where these stores are located.