Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, August 2025
Released: 16 October 2025
In August 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 1.1% higher, on a calendar-adjusted basis, than in the same month of the previous year. According to the available data, the volume of retail trade turnover increased in the majority of Member States, with the highest increase in Cyprus (9.4%) and Malta (9.2%), while a decrease (0.3–3.8%) was registered in six Member States, with the largest decrease in Romania. Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes remained unchanged in the EU compared with the previous month.
In August 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 2.4% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show an increase of 0.8% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail sales volumes increased by 1.9% in Poland and decreased by 0.3% in Slovakia compared with August 2024 (data for Czechia not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 2.3% compared to the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non-specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 76% of food retail trade, were 3.9% higher, and in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they decreased by 2.0%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 4.9% overall. Compared to August 2024, sales volume increased by 8.7% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, by 6.6% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops and non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 3.3% in second-hand goods shops, by 2.5% in furniture and electrical goods stores, and by 0.3% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 7.2% of retail sales in August 2025, rose by 6.6%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 2.2% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, increased by 9.6%.
In August 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,735 billion. 51% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 34% in non-food retail trade and 15% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics2 macro-models suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 0.8% year-on-year at the end of Q4 2025. In Hungary, growth of 3.3% is expected for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Table 1
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, August 2025
Territorial units
Indicesa)(base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previous montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
103.0
0.0
1.1
Euro area
102.5
0.1
1.0
Belgium
94.1
0.4
1.1
Bulgaria
119.0
0.0
4.9
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
96.9
0.2
2.9
Germany
99.4
–0.2
1.8
Estonia
90.7
–0.3
–1.1
Ireland
110.6
–0.5
1.4
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
111.8
0.4
4.6
France
105.1
0.5
–1.4
Croatia
115.8
0.3
2.4
Italy
97.5
–0.3
–0.6
Cyprus
126.3
1.5
9.4
Latvia
105.5
1.0
4.3
Lithuania
110.5
1.7
6.4
Luxembourg
124.5
–0.7
7.3
Hungary
102.4
0.8
2.4
Malta
124.6
1.5
9.2
Netherlands
101.6
0.0
0.9
Austria
96.8
–0.4
0.1
Poland
110.3
–0.8
1.9
Portugal
116.1
–0.7
4.0
Romania
113.6
–4.0
–3.8
Slovenia
100.0
0.4
0.7
Slovakia
102.0
–0.4
–0.3
Finland
91.7
–0.1
–1.2
Sweden
97.0
1.1
4.0
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, August 2025. Download date: 6 October 2025
Figure 1
Figure 2
Footnotes
-
Due to a methodological difference, the data on the volume change of retail trade in the HCSO "Retail Trade" first release may differ from those published by Eurostat. In Hungary, according to the Hungarian methodology, the calendar-adjusted volume of the August retail trade increased by 2.4% compared to the same month of the previous year, in line with Eurostat figures. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩
Released: 16 October 2025
In August 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 1.1% higher, on a calendar-adjusted basis, than in the same month of the previous year. According to the available data, the volume of retail trade turnover increased in the majority of Member States, with the highest increase in Cyprus (9.4%) and Malta (9.2%), while a decrease (0.3–3.8%) was registered in six Member States, with the largest decrease in Romania. Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes remained unchanged in the EU compared with the previous month.
In August 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 2.4% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show an increase of 0.8% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail sales volumes increased by 1.9% in Poland and decreased by 0.3% in Slovakia compared with August 2024 (data for Czechia not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 2.3% compared to the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non-specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 76% of food retail trade, were 3.9% higher, and in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they decreased by 2.0%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 4.9% overall. Compared to August 2024, sales volume increased by 8.7% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, by 6.6% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops and non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 3.3% in second-hand goods shops, by 2.5% in furniture and electrical goods stores, and by 0.3% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 7.2% of retail sales in August 2025, rose by 6.6%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 2.2% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, increased by 9.6%.
In August 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,735 billion. 51% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 34% in non-food retail trade and 15% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics2 macro-models suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 0.8% year-on-year at the end of Q4 2025. In Hungary, growth of 3.3% is expected for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, August 2025
| Territorial units | Indicesa)(base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previous montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 103.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| Euro area | 102.5 | 0.1 | 1.0 |
| Belgium | 94.1 | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| Bulgaria | 119.0 | 0.0 | 4.9 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 96.9 | 0.2 | 2.9 |
| Germany | 99.4 | –0.2 | 1.8 |
| Estonia | 90.7 | –0.3 | –1.1 |
| Ireland | 110.6 | –0.5 | 1.4 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 111.8 | 0.4 | 4.6 |
| France | 105.1 | 0.5 | –1.4 |
| Croatia | 115.8 | 0.3 | 2.4 |
| Italy | 97.5 | –0.3 | –0.6 |
| Cyprus | 126.3 | 1.5 | 9.4 |
| Latvia | 105.5 | 1.0 | 4.3 |
| Lithuania | 110.5 | 1.7 | 6.4 |
| Luxembourg | 124.5 | –0.7 | 7.3 |
| Hungary | 102.4 | 0.8 | 2.4 |
| Malta | 124.6 | 1.5 | 9.2 |
| Netherlands | 101.6 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| Austria | 96.8 | –0.4 | 0.1 |
| Poland | 110.3 | –0.8 | 1.9 |
| Portugal | 116.1 | –0.7 | 4.0 |
| Romania | 113.6 | –4.0 | –3.8 |
| Slovenia | 100.0 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
| Slovakia | 102.0 | –0.4 | –0.3 |
| Finland | 91.7 | –0.1 | –1.2 |
| Sweden | 97.0 | 1.1 | 4.0 |
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, August 2025. Download date: 6 October 2025
Footnotes
-
Due to a methodological difference, the data on the volume change of retail trade in the HCSO "Retail Trade" first release may differ from those published by Eurostat. In Hungary, according to the Hungarian methodology, the calendar-adjusted volume of the August retail trade increased by 2.4% compared to the same month of the previous year, in line with Eurostat figures. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩