Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, March 2026
Released: 18 May 2026
In March 2026, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 1.9%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in most Member States, with the largest rises recorded in Bulgaria (12%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU grew by 0.3% compared with the previous month.
In March 2026, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 8.2% higher than a year earlier1, representing the second largest increase among EU Member States. Compared to the previous month, retail trade volume in Hungary grew by 1.9% according to seasonally and calendar-adjusted data. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes grow by 6.8% in Poland and by 5.1% in Slovakia compared with March 2025 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 2.6% compared with the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non-specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 77% of food retail trade, grew by 4.2%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 2.7% decline. Non-food retail trade volumes increased overall by 8.4%. Compared with March 2025, sales volumes rose by 10% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 9.1% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 7.3 in furniture and electrical goods shops, by 6.5% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, by 4.5% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, and by 4.4% in second hand goods shops. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 8.8% of retail sales in March 2026, increased by 10%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 20.6% compared with a year earlier, moving in line with the trends in fuel sales volume measured in physical units reported in the excise tax declarations of retail fuel stations. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, increased by 22%.
In March 2026, national retail trade turnover at current prices amounted to HUF 1,799 billion. Of total national retail sales, 48% were realized in specialized and non specialized food shops, 36% in non-food retail trade, and 16% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
According to Trading Economics macro models2, retail trade in the European Union could grow by around 1.0% year on year by the end of Q2 2026. In Hungary, growth of 3.8% is expected for the first quarter of 2026, followed by further increases (of 3.2% and 3.0% per quarter) throughout the year.
Table 1
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, March 2026
Territorial units
Indicesa) (base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previous montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
104,3
0,3
1,9
Euro area
103,6
-0,1
1,2
Belgium
95,1
3,6
1,9
Bulgaria
130,0
2,1
12,4
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
101,2
2,7
6,9
Germany
98,5
-2,1
-2,0
Estonia
98,8
0,5
6,2
Ireland
111,6
0,6
2,1
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
113,7
1,2
4,2
France
107,2
0,2
1,8
Croatia
119,0
0,8
3,3
Italy
97,7
-0,1
1,5
Cyprus
129,0
0,5
6,1
Latvia
106,6
-0,1
3,9
Lithuania
111,0
2,4
5,7
Luxembourg
143,7
4,0
6,1
Hungary
107,6
1,9
8,2
Malta
128,8
-0,4
7,5
Netherlands
102,5
1,1
1,3
Austria
97,2
0,1
0,0
Poland
113,4
1,9
6,8
Portugal
118,9
1,7
5,4
Romania
114,3
2,6
-2,3
Slovenia
103,0
4,3
4,7
Slovakia
105,0
2,5
5,1
Finland
94,8
1,0
3,9
Sweden
100,4
3,0
5,7
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, March 2026. Download date: 7 May 2026
Figure 1
Figure 2
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 – in line with Eurostat figures – the calendar adjusted volume of retail trade in March increased by 8.2% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 1.9% compared with the previous month after seasonal and calendar adjustment. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩
Released: 18 May 2026
In March 2026, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 1.9%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in most Member States, with the largest rises recorded in Bulgaria (12%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU grew by 0.3% compared with the previous month.
In March 2026, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 8.2% higher than a year earlier1, representing the second largest increase among EU Member States. Compared to the previous month, retail trade volume in Hungary grew by 1.9% according to seasonally and calendar-adjusted data. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes grow by 6.8% in Poland and by 5.1% in Slovakia compared with March 2025 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 2.6% compared with the same month of the previous year. Sales volumes in non-specialized food and beverages shops, which account for 77% of food retail trade, grew by 4.2%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 2.7% decline. Non-food retail trade volumes increased overall by 8.4%. Compared with March 2025, sales volumes rose by 10% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 9.1% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 7.3 in furniture and electrical goods shops, by 6.5% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, by 4.5% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, and by 4.4% in second hand goods shops. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 8.8% of retail sales in March 2026, increased by 10%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 20.6% compared with a year earlier, moving in line with the trends in fuel sales volume measured in physical units reported in the excise tax declarations of retail fuel stations. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, increased by 22%.
In March 2026, national retail trade turnover at current prices amounted to HUF 1,799 billion. Of total national retail sales, 48% were realized in specialized and non specialized food shops, 36% in non-food retail trade, and 16% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
According to Trading Economics macro models2, retail trade in the European Union could grow by around 1.0% year on year by the end of Q2 2026. In Hungary, growth of 3.8% is expected for the first quarter of 2026, followed by further increases (of 3.2% and 3.0% per quarter) throughout the year.
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, March 2026
| Territorial units | Indicesa) (base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previous montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 104,3 | 0,3 | 1,9 |
| Euro area | 103,6 | -0,1 | 1,2 |
| Belgium | 95,1 | 3,6 | 1,9 |
| Bulgaria | 130,0 | 2,1 | 12,4 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 101,2 | 2,7 | 6,9 |
| Germany | 98,5 | -2,1 | -2,0 |
| Estonia | 98,8 | 0,5 | 6,2 |
| Ireland | 111,6 | 0,6 | 2,1 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 113,7 | 1,2 | 4,2 |
| France | 107,2 | 0,2 | 1,8 |
| Croatia | 119,0 | 0,8 | 3,3 |
| Italy | 97,7 | -0,1 | 1,5 |
| Cyprus | 129,0 | 0,5 | 6,1 |
| Latvia | 106,6 | -0,1 | 3,9 |
| Lithuania | 111,0 | 2,4 | 5,7 |
| Luxembourg | 143,7 | 4,0 | 6,1 |
| Hungary | 107,6 | 1,9 | 8,2 |
| Malta | 128,8 | -0,4 | 7,5 |
| Netherlands | 102,5 | 1,1 | 1,3 |
| Austria | 97,2 | 0,1 | 0,0 |
| Poland | 113,4 | 1,9 | 6,8 |
| Portugal | 118,9 | 1,7 | 5,4 |
| Romania | 114,3 | 2,6 | -2,3 |
| Slovenia | 103,0 | 4,3 | 4,7 |
| Slovakia | 105,0 | 2,5 | 5,1 |
| Finland | 94,8 | 1,0 | 3,9 |
| Sweden | 100,4 | 3,0 | 5,7 |
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, March 2026. Download date: 7 May 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 – in line with Eurostat figures – the calendar adjusted volume of retail trade in March increased by 8.2% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 1.9% compared with the previous month after seasonal and calendar adjustment. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩