Overview of the main changes in
IRDTS 2008
Workshop for African countries on the Implementation of International
Recommendations for Distributive Trade Statistics
27-30 May 2008, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
UNITED NATIONS STATISTICS DIVISION
Trade Statistics Branch
Distributive Trade Statistics Section
Scope
International Recommendations for Distributive Trade Statistics
2008 (IRDTS 2008)
Distributive trade statistics (DTS)

IRDTS 2008 defines the scope of DTS as statistics reflecting characteristics
and activities of the units belonging to distributive trade sector of an
economy

Distributive trade sector

The scope of distributive trade sector is defined in terms of ISIC, Rev.4
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All resident entities recognised as statistical units and classifiable in section G
“Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles”
All units irrespective of their size, form of economic and legal organization and
ownership
Distributive trade activities carried out by entities not classified in Section G
of ISIC, Rev.4 are not covered by distributive trade statistics
International Recommendations on Statistics of Distributive Trades
and Services (IRSDTS)

IRSDTS did not have a definition of distributive trade sector

Refers to all establishments that are engaged primarily in wholesale
and retail trade, restaurants and hotels and selected services
Statistical units
IRDTS 2008

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Contains a more comprehensive and detailed
discussion of statistical units for use in the collection
of DTS
New sections on:
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Statistical units of informal sector
Mapping of selected entities specific to distributive trade,
such as retail chains, department stores, franchising, market
places etc.
Enhanced guidelines on delineation and proper
classification of trade units in conjunction with
principles of the 1993 SNA, Rev.1 and classification of
activities
Data items
IRDTS 2008

List of data items and their definitions - reviewed and
updated

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Revenue and expenditure items - presented in more details
E-commerce sales - separately identified
Value of turnover - presented by product groups
Lists of data items and their coding in IRDTS 2008
and IRIS 2008 - fully harmonized
Performance indicators
IRDTS 2008

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Reflects the increased interests in the assessment of the
overall performance of distributive trade sector
Identifies a set of indicators for monitoring the
profitability, productivity and efficiency of distributive trade
sector as a whole or some of its divisions
IRSDTS

Not part of the previous recommendations
Data sources and data compilation
methods
IRDTS 2008

Description of data sources and data compilation
methods is significantly expanded with discussion on:

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Various types of statistical and administrative data
sources
Business register and its use as a frame for statistical
surveys
Data compilation methods – validation, editing, etc.
An outline of a data collection strategy for different
segments of the economy based on an integrated
approach is presented
Short-term distributive trade statistics
IRDTS 2008

New chapter providing guidance on some of the
most important issues related to short-term DTS

Compilation of indices of distributive trade (more
guidance expected in a follow-up manual)

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Time-series of distributive trade statistics and the
necessity of seasonal adjustments
Reconciliation of short-term with annual data
(benchmarking)
Data quality and metadata
IRDTS 2008

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Increased importance of methods for enhancement of data
quality
New chapter containing guidance on the main dimensions of
quality that should be taken into account in developing quality
assessment frameworks
Limited set of key indicators for measuring quality of distributive
trade statistics
Recommendations for development and dissemination of
adequate metadata on distributive trade statistics
IRSDTS

Issues of data quality and metadata were not part of the previous
recommendations
Data dissemination
IRDTS 2008

Recommendations on DTS data dissemination
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Updated
Harmonised with similar recommendations applicable in
other areas of economic statistics
Further guidance provided regarding
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Confidentiality protection
Development of a sound revision policy
Harmonization of IRDTS 2008 with
the 1993 SNA, Rev.1 (1)
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Valuation of trade output

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Basic prices
Ancillary units

An ancillary unit is to be recognized as a separate
establishment when:

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Separate accounts on production cost are available, or
The unit is in a geographically different location from the
establishments it serves
Research and development

Research and development expenditures of trade
units, if any, are to be capitalized
Harmonization of IRDTS 2008 with
the 1993 SNA, Rev.1 (2)
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Large databases
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Employee stock options
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Large databases created by trade units either on
own account or those for sale are to be capitalized
Included in wages and salaries as additional
instruments for compensation of employees
Allow harmonization with international business
accounting standards
Terminology and classification of non-financial
assets

Identical
Thank You