Large increase in trade in the municipality

The development of retail was strong in Kristianstad last year. HUI Research lists the municipality as one of the "rockets of the year". In total, sales in the municipality increased by 189 million crowns.

– New establishments have had a positive effect on trade. We will see the full effect next year, says Rickard Johansson, Analyst at HUI Research.

C4 Shopping opened in September 2018.

In 2018, retail sales in Kristianstad had a turnover of 6.178 billion crowns. This is an increase of 189 million crowns or 3 per cent.

This is a strong development compared to the development in the whole country, writes HUI. Kristianstad Municipality is among those who have increased the most among municipalities with 50,000 to 250,000 inhabitants.

Throughout Skåne, retail sales had a turnover of 84.9 billion crowns, an increase of 1 per cent. Turnover for the entire country increased by 2 per cent. But for some trade (goods we rarely buy), competition from online shopping is increasing.

At the same time, there is ongoing debate that Kristianstad city centre has fewer stores, something that has happened in other cities of the same size. But Rickard Johansson believes in trading in the centre.

– It's about being attractive in the eyes of the consumer. It’s important to look a little further than what is happening on the other side of the city.

In 2017, 2,468 people were employed in retail in Kristianstad.