Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, May 2025
Released: 11 July 2025
In May 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 1.9% 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 (7.9%) and a decrease in seven Member States (0.4%–2.2%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes decreased by 0.8% in the EU compared with the previous month.
In May 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 2.0% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show an decrease of 1.3% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail sales volumes increased by 3.9% in Poland and decreased by 1.7% in Slovakia compared with May 2024 (data for Czechia not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 0.5% 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 2.1% higher, and in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they decreased by 4.0%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 4.0% overall. Compared to May 2024, sales volume increased by 9.1% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 7.2% in furniture and electrical goods stores, by 3.6% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, by 1.0% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops and by 0.4% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, while they fell by 2.5% in second-hand goods shops. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 8.1% of retail sales in May 2025, rose by 4.8%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 1.1% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, were essentially unchanged.
In May 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,691 billion. 50% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 36% in non-food retail trade and 14% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics'2 macro-models suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 1.4% year-on-year at the end of Q3 2025. In Hungary, growth of 2.7% is expected for the third quarters of 2025.
Table 1
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, May 2025
Territorial units
Indicesa)(base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previuos montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
102.4
–0.8
1.9
Euro area
101.8
–0.7
1.8
Belgium
93.0
–2.5
0.9
Bulgaria
118.2
2.0
7.2
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
97.1
0.6
4.2
Germany
97.9
–1.7
1.6
Estonia
92.8
–2.2
2.5
Ireland
110.3
0.4
1.9
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
110.3
0.2
4.8
France
105.2
–0.2
3.4
Croatia
115.0
–1.5
2.6
Italy
97.5
–0.4
–0.4
Cyprus
123.0
1.0
7.9
Latvia
101.0
–0.7
–1.9
Lithuania
106.1
–0.1
2.0
Luxembourg
128.3
–0.1
6.3
Hungary
101.7
–1.3
2.0
Malta
117.4
0.0
–0.5
Netherlands
100.4
–0.6
–0.5
Austria
97.1
–0.5
0.8
Poland
111.3
–1.9
3.9
Portugal
115.3
2.1
4.6
Romania
117.6
–0.4
2.3
Slovenia
100.4
0.0
1.6
Slovakia
101.1
–1.6
–1.7
Finland
91.8
–1.6
–2.2
Sweden
92.2
–4.6
–1.8
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted
b) Calendar adjusted
Forrás: Euro indicators – Retail trade, May 2025. (7 July 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 May retail trade increased by 2.1% compared to the same month of the previous year. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩
Released: 11 July 2025
In May 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 1.9% 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 (7.9%) and a decrease in seven Member States (0.4%–2.2%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes decreased by 0.8% in the EU compared with the previous month.
In May 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 2.0% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show an decrease of 1.3% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail sales volumes increased by 3.9% in Poland and decreased by 1.7% in Slovakia compared with May 2024 (data for Czechia not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 0.5% 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 2.1% higher, and in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they decreased by 4.0%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 4.0% overall. Compared to May 2024, sales volume increased by 9.1% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 7.2% in furniture and electrical goods stores, by 3.6% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, by 1.0% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops and by 0.4% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, while they fell by 2.5% in second-hand goods shops. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 8.1% of retail sales in May 2025, rose by 4.8%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 1.1% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, were essentially unchanged.
In May 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,691 billion. 50% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 36% in non-food retail trade and 14% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics'2 macro-models suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 1.4% year-on-year at the end of Q3 2025. In Hungary, growth of 2.7% is expected for the third quarters of 2025.
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, May 2025
| Territorial units | Indicesa)(base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previuos montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 102.4 | –0.8 | 1.9 |
| Euro area | 101.8 | –0.7 | 1.8 |
| Belgium | 93.0 | –2.5 | 0.9 |
| Bulgaria | 118.2 | 2.0 | 7.2 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 97.1 | 0.6 | 4.2 |
| Germany | 97.9 | –1.7 | 1.6 |
| Estonia | 92.8 | –2.2 | 2.5 |
| Ireland | 110.3 | 0.4 | 1.9 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 110.3 | 0.2 | 4.8 |
| France | 105.2 | –0.2 | 3.4 |
| Croatia | 115.0 | –1.5 | 2.6 |
| Italy | 97.5 | –0.4 | –0.4 |
| Cyprus | 123.0 | 1.0 | 7.9 |
| Latvia | 101.0 | –0.7 | –1.9 |
| Lithuania | 106.1 | –0.1 | 2.0 |
| Luxembourg | 128.3 | –0.1 | 6.3 |
| Hungary | 101.7 | –1.3 | 2.0 |
| Malta | 117.4 | 0.0 | –0.5 |
| Netherlands | 100.4 | –0.6 | –0.5 |
| Austria | 97.1 | –0.5 | 0.8 |
| Poland | 111.3 | –1.9 | 3.9 |
| Portugal | 115.3 | 2.1 | 4.6 |
| Romania | 117.6 | –0.4 | 2.3 |
| Slovenia | 100.4 | 0.0 | 1.6 |
| Slovakia | 101.1 | –1.6 | –1.7 |
| Finland | 91.8 | –1.6 | –2.2 |
| Sweden | 92.2 | –4.6 | –1.8 |
b) Calendar adjusted
Forrás: Euro indicators – Retail trade, May 2025. (7 July 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 May retail trade increased by 2.1% compared to the same month of the previous year. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩