Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, December 2025
Released: 18 February 2026
In December 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar‑adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 1.7%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in the majority of Member States, with the largest rise recorded in Cyprus (8.2%). A decline (0.2–5.1%) was registered in six Member States, the most significant in Slovakia. Seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU decreased by 0.5% compared with the previous month.
In December 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.5% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data indicate a 0.1% increase compared with the previous month. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes rose by 4.0% in Poland and fell by 5.1% in Slovakia compared with December 2024 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non‑specialized food shops increased by 2.1% compared with the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non‑specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 78% of food retail trade, grew by 3.3%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 3.1% decline. Non‑food retail trade volumes increased overall by 4.3%. Compared with December 2024, sales volumes rose by 13% in second‑hand goods shops, by 10% in non‑specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 6.6% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, by 3.2% in furniture and electrical goods stores, by 2.2% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, and by 1.2% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 9.3% of retail sales in December 2025, increased by 2.8%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 1.7% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, decreased by 1.2%.
In December 2025, national retail trade turnoverat current prices amounted to HUF 1,975 billion. Of total national retail sales, 49% were realized in specialized and non‑specialized food shops, 39% in non‑food retail trade, and 12% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
In 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union exceeded the previous year’s level by 2.3%, while in Hungary the increase was higher, at 2.9%.
According to Trading Economics macro‑models2, retail trade in the European Union could grow by around 1.3% year on year by the end of Q1 2026. In Hungary, growth of 3.5% is expected for the first quarter of 2026, followed by further increases (between 3.0% and 3.8% per quarter) throughout 2026.
Table 1
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, December 2025
Territorial units
Indicesa) (base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previous montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
103.7
–0.5
1.7
Euro area
103.2
–0.5
1.3
Belgium
92.4
0.8
0.0
Bulgaria
123.6
1.6
7.7
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
99.0
–1.6
3.7
Germany
100.5
0.1
1.4
Estonia
92.8
–0.2
–1.0
Ireland
110.2
–0.4
–0.7
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
112.6
–0.9
2.7
France
106.3
–1.4
2.8
Croatia
119.7
1.8
4.8
Italy
97.6
–0.5
–0.6
Cyprus
128.8
0.2
8.2
Latvia
105.3
–0.8
0.8
Lithuania
110.8
0.4
2.5
Luxembourg
147.7
7.0
6.2
Hungary
103.4
0.1
3.5
Malta
125.8
0.8
5.1
Netherlands
101.8
–0.7
1.0
Austria
97.3
1.5
–0.2
Poland
110.2
0.6
4.0
Portugal
115.5
–3.1
3.1
Romania
114.5
0.6
–2.1
Slovenia
100.4
0.0
2.3
Slovakia
105.4
3.1
–5.1
Finland
93.4
–0.2
0.7
Sweden
97.5
–1.9
1.8
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, December 2025. Download date: 5 February 2026
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Footnotes
-
Due to methodological differences, 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 national methodology, the calendar‑adjusted volume of retail trade in December — in line with Eurostat figures — increased by 3.5% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 0.2% compared with the previous month. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩
Released: 18 February 2026
In December 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar‑adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 1.7%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in the majority of Member States, with the largest rise recorded in Cyprus (8.2%). A decline (0.2–5.1%) was registered in six Member States, the most significant in Slovakia. Seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU decreased by 0.5% compared with the previous month.
In December 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.5% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data indicate a 0.1% increase compared with the previous month. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes rose by 4.0% in Poland and fell by 5.1% in Slovakia compared with December 2024 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non‑specialized food shops increased by 2.1% compared with the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non‑specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 78% of food retail trade, grew by 3.3%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 3.1% decline. Non‑food retail trade volumes increased overall by 4.3%. Compared with December 2024, sales volumes rose by 13% in second‑hand goods shops, by 10% in non‑specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 6.6% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, by 3.2% in furniture and electrical goods stores, by 2.2% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, and by 1.2% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 9.3% of retail sales in December 2025, increased by 2.8%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 1.7% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, decreased by 1.2%.
In December 2025, national retail trade turnoverat current prices amounted to HUF 1,975 billion. Of total national retail sales, 49% were realized in specialized and non‑specialized food shops, 39% in non‑food retail trade, and 12% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
In 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union exceeded the previous year’s level by 2.3%, while in Hungary the increase was higher, at 2.9%.
According to Trading Economics macro‑models2, retail trade in the European Union could grow by around 1.3% year on year by the end of Q1 2026. In Hungary, growth of 3.5% is expected for the first quarter of 2026, followed by further increases (between 3.0% and 3.8% per quarter) throughout 2026.
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, December 2025
| Territorial units | Indicesa) (base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previous montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 103.7 | –0.5 | 1.7 |
| Euro area | 103.2 | –0.5 | 1.3 |
| Belgium | 92.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Bulgaria | 123.6 | 1.6 | 7.7 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 99.0 | –1.6 | 3.7 |
| Germany | 100.5 | 0.1 | 1.4 |
| Estonia | 92.8 | –0.2 | –1.0 |
| Ireland | 110.2 | –0.4 | –0.7 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 112.6 | –0.9 | 2.7 |
| France | 106.3 | –1.4 | 2.8 |
| Croatia | 119.7 | 1.8 | 4.8 |
| Italy | 97.6 | –0.5 | –0.6 |
| Cyprus | 128.8 | 0.2 | 8.2 |
| Latvia | 105.3 | –0.8 | 0.8 |
| Lithuania | 110.8 | 0.4 | 2.5 |
| Luxembourg | 147.7 | 7.0 | 6.2 |
| Hungary | 103.4 | 0.1 | 3.5 |
| Malta | 125.8 | 0.8 | 5.1 |
| Netherlands | 101.8 | –0.7 | 1.0 |
| Austria | 97.3 | 1.5 | –0.2 |
| Poland | 110.2 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
| Portugal | 115.5 | –3.1 | 3.1 |
| Romania | 114.5 | 0.6 | –2.1 |
| Slovenia | 100.4 | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| Slovakia | 105.4 | 3.1 | –5.1 |
| Finland | 93.4 | –0.2 | 0.7 |
| Sweden | 97.5 | –1.9 | 1.8 |
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, December 2025. Download date: 5 February 2026
Footnotes
-
Due to methodological differences, 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 national methodology, the calendar‑adjusted volume of retail trade in December — in line with Eurostat figures — increased by 3.5% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 0.2% compared with the previous month. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩