The Romanian long-term goods market shrank by 40.4% in the first half of the year, against the similar 2008 period. It presently amounts to 664 million euros, according to a GFK research study. The IT sector and the stationery department recorded the biggest drops.

The Romanian electrical goods market raised 308 million euros in the second quarter, seeing a 46.8% decrease against the same 2008 period. The small labour-saving devices sector dropped 22.1% and 25.8% during the first semester. The big home electrical devices sector had an improving quarter, but they still saw a 37.1% drop. The long-term labour-saving devices sales declined by 42.6%, followed closely by the photographic sector, with a 43.2% drop.

The weakest sales were recorded in the IT and stationery sectors, which saw the most accentuated shrinkage: 47.2% and 51.4% respectively in the first semester. "This aspect was caused by an important cut in volume and, partially, by a decrease of the mean price, especially for laptops. (...) The most affected have been desktop computers and monitors", the GfK study reads.

The GfK TEMAX is published internationally. The results are based on the GfK Retail and Technology retail panel investigations, involving more than 190,000 retail selling points world wide. GFK research company recorded in Romania a 9.1 million euros business figure in 2008. The group was set up in 1934 and in is a marker research world leader.