Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, March 2025
Released: 9 May 2025
In March 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 1.4% 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 Luxembourg (9.4%) and a decrease in six Member States (0.3%-2.9%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes declined by 0.1% in the EU compared with the previous month.
In March 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 0.4% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show a decrease of 0.5% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail trade volumes decreased by 1.8% and 2.9% respectively (the two largest volume reductions in the EU ranking) in Poland and Slovakia compared with the same period of the previous year (data for Czechia not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 1.2% compared to the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non-specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 77% of food retail trade, were 2.7% higher, while in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they decreased by 3.1%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 5.9% overall. Compared to March 2024, sales volume in textiles, clothing and footwear shops increased by 7.3%, in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops as well as in furniture and electrical goods stores by 4.8%, in second-hand goods shops by 3.5% and in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods by 2.2%, while in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores fell by 5.2%. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 8.5% of retail sales in March 2025, rose by 5.0%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 0.1% 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 0.7%.
In March 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,630 billion. 49% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 36% in non-food retail trade and 15% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics'2 macro-models and analysts' expectations suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 0.2% year-on-year at the end of Q2 2025, followed by a further 0.6–0.8% growth in 2025. In Hungary, growth of 2.7–2.7% is expected for the second and third quarters of 2025.
Table 1
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, March 2025
Territorial units
Indicesa)(base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previuos montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
100.4
–0.1
1.4
Euro area
99.9
–0.1
1.5
Belgium
93.1
1.4
1.0
Bulgaria
111.3
1.1
5.4
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
93.5
0.1
2.5
Germany
101.0
–0.2
2.3
Estonia
91.9
–1.3
1.2
Ireland
101.2
0.3
2.3
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
104.9
–0.2
3.5
France
102.0
–0.1
1.9
Croatia
106.3
1.4
3.6
Italy
92.6
–0.3
–1.4
Cyprus
114.8
–0.5
5.0
Latvia
100.0
–0.2
–0.7
Lithuania
101.8
0.9
0.1
Luxembourg
131.9
1.0
9.4
Hungary
98.7
–0.5
0.4
Malta
113.3
2.0
4.9
Netherlands
101.0
0.7
0.5
Austria
98.4
–0.4
1.7
Poland
109.7
–0.6
–1.8
Portugal
106.7
–0.5
3.9
Romania
..
..
..
Slovenia
100.4
–2.0
–0.3
Slovakia
100.0
–0.9
–2.9
Finland
87.9
0.1
–1.3
Sweden
93.9
0.3
3.2
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted.
b) Calendar adjusted.
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, March 2025. (7 May 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 March retail trade increased by 0.4% - just as the one published by Eurostat - compared to the same month of the previous year. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩
Released: 9 May 2025
In March 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 1.4% 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 Luxembourg (9.4%) and a decrease in six Member States (0.3%-2.9%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes declined by 0.1% in the EU compared with the previous month.
In March 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 0.4% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show a decrease of 0.5% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail trade volumes decreased by 1.8% and 2.9% respectively (the two largest volume reductions in the EU ranking) in Poland and Slovakia compared with the same period of the previous year (data for Czechia not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 1.2% compared to the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non-specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 77% of food retail trade, were 2.7% higher, while in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they decreased by 3.1%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 5.9% overall. Compared to March 2024, sales volume in textiles, clothing and footwear shops increased by 7.3%, in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops as well as in furniture and electrical goods stores by 4.8%, in second-hand goods shops by 3.5% and in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods by 2.2%, while in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores fell by 5.2%. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 8.5% of retail sales in March 2025, rose by 5.0%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 0.1% 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 0.7%.
In March 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,630 billion. 49% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 36% in non-food retail trade and 15% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics'2 macro-models and analysts' expectations suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 0.2% year-on-year at the end of Q2 2025, followed by a further 0.6–0.8% growth in 2025. In Hungary, growth of 2.7–2.7% is expected for the second and third quarters of 2025.
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, March 2025
| Territorial units | Indicesa)(base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previuos montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 100.4 | –0.1 | 1.4 |
| Euro area | 99.9 | –0.1 | 1.5 |
| Belgium | 93.1 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
| Bulgaria | 111.3 | 1.1 | 5.4 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 93.5 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| Germany | 101.0 | –0.2 | 2.3 |
| Estonia | 91.9 | –1.3 | 1.2 |
| Ireland | 101.2 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 104.9 | –0.2 | 3.5 |
| France | 102.0 | –0.1 | 1.9 |
| Croatia | 106.3 | 1.4 | 3.6 |
| Italy | 92.6 | –0.3 | –1.4 |
| Cyprus | 114.8 | –0.5 | 5.0 |
| Latvia | 100.0 | –0.2 | –0.7 |
| Lithuania | 101.8 | 0.9 | 0.1 |
| Luxembourg | 131.9 | 1.0 | 9.4 |
| Hungary | 98.7 | –0.5 | 0.4 |
| Malta | 113.3 | 2.0 | 4.9 |
| Netherlands | 101.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Austria | 98.4 | –0.4 | 1.7 |
| Poland | 109.7 | –0.6 | –1.8 |
| Portugal | 106.7 | –0.5 | 3.9 |
| Romania | .. | .. | .. |
| Slovenia | 100.4 | –2.0 | –0.3 |
| Slovakia | 100.0 | –0.9 | –2.9 |
| Finland | 87.9 | 0.1 | –1.3 |
| Sweden | 93.9 | 0.3 | 3.2 |
b) Calendar adjusted.
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, March 2025. (7 May 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 March retail trade increased by 0.4% - just as the one published by Eurostat - compared to the same month of the previous year. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩