Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, February 2025
Released: 8 April 2025
In February 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 2.0% 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 (10.3%) and a decrease in seven Member States (0.7%-1.5%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes grew by 0.2% in the EU compared with the previous month.
In February 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.3% higher than a year earlier1 , while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show a decrease of 0.6% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail trade volumes decreased by 1.5% and 1.4% 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 3.5% 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 3.8% higher, while in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they increased by 1.3%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 5.0% overall. Compared to February 2024, sales volume in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops increased by 10%, in furniture and electrical goods stores by 2.8%, in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods by 0.6%, while in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores they fell by 2.8%, in second-hand goods shops by 3.1% and in textiles, clothing and footwear shops by 4.7%. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 8.3% of retail sales in February 2025, rose by 1.5%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 0.4% 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 3.0%.
In February 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,446 billion. 50% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 35% in non-food retail trade and 15% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics' macro-models and analysts' expectations suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 1.2% year-on-year at the end of Q1 2025, followed by a further 0.2–0.8% growth in 2025. In Hungary, growth of 2.7–2.7% is expected for the first and second quarters of 2025.
Table 1
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, February 2025
Territorial units
Indicesa) (base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previous montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
102.1
0.2
2.0
Euro area
101.7
0.3
2.3
Belgium
92.1
0.4
0.0
Bulgaria
114.6
-1.7
2.4
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
96.4
0.8
3.2
Germany
99.7
0.7
4.8
Estonia
94.7
2.2
5.2
Ireland
109.9
1.4
2.3
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
109.1
1.3
3.8
France
104.3
0.2
2.3
Croatia
113.4
-0.9
2.6
Italy
97.6
-0.1
-1.1
Cyprus
120.4
4.7
8.5
Latvia
102.1
-0.9
-0.8
Lithuania
104.0
1.7
2.9
Luxembourg
127.4
-0.2
10,3
Hungary
101.3
-0.6
3.3
Malta
115.1
-0.9
-0.7
Netherlands
100.2
-1.4
-1.2
Austria
97.0
-0.1
1.5
Poland
106.9
-1.2
-1.5
Portugal
112.5
0.0
5.0
Romania
116.8
-0.9
3.5
Slovenia
101.1
0.7
4.2
Slovakia
101.2
-0.9
-1.4
Finland
91.9
0.2
-0.8
Sweden
95.5
-0.1
0.5
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted.
b) Calendar adjusted.
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, February 2025. (7 April 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 February retail trade increased by 3.3% - just as the one published by Eurostat - compared to the same month of the previous year. ↩
Released: 8 April 2025
In February 2025, the volume of retail trade in the European Union was 2.0% 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 (10.3%) and a decrease in seven Member States (0.7%-1.5%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted retail trade volumes grew by 0.2% in the EU compared with the previous month.
In February 2025, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.3% higher than a year earlier1 , while seasonally and calendar-adjusted data show a decrease of 0.6% compared to the previous month. Among the V4 countries, retail trade volumes decreased by 1.5% and 1.4% 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 3.5% 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 3.8% higher, while in specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores they increased by 1.3%. Non-food retail trade sales volumes increased by 5.0% overall. Compared to February 2024, sales volume in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops increased by 10%, in furniture and electrical goods stores by 2.8%, in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods by 0.6%, while in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores they fell by 2.8%, in second-hand goods shops by 3.1% and in textiles, clothing and footwear shops by 4.7%. Mail order and internet retailing, which covers a wide range of goods and accounted for 8.3% of retail sales in February 2025, rose by 1.5%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations increased by 0.4% 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 3.0%.
In February 2025, national retail trade turnover at current prices was HUF 1,446 billion. 50% of national retail sales were realized in specialized and non-specialized food shops, 35% in non-food retail trade and 15% in the fuel sales of automotive fuel stations.
Trading Economics' macro-models and analysts' expectations suggest that retail sales in the European Union could grow by around 1.2% year-on-year at the end of Q1 2025, followed by a further 0.2–0.8% growth in 2025. In Hungary, growth of 2.7–2.7% is expected for the first and second quarters of 2025.
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, February 2025
| Territorial units | Indicesa) (base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previous montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 102.1 | 0.2 | 2.0 |
| Euro area | 101.7 | 0.3 | 2.3 |
| Belgium | 92.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Bulgaria | 114.6 | -1.7 | 2.4 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 96.4 | 0.8 | 3.2 |
| Germany | 99.7 | 0.7 | 4.8 |
| Estonia | 94.7 | 2.2 | 5.2 |
| Ireland | 109.9 | 1.4 | 2.3 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 109.1 | 1.3 | 3.8 |
| France | 104.3 | 0.2 | 2.3 |
| Croatia | 113.4 | -0.9 | 2.6 |
| Italy | 97.6 | -0.1 | -1.1 |
| Cyprus | 120.4 | 4.7 | 8.5 |
| Latvia | 102.1 | -0.9 | -0.8 |
| Lithuania | 104.0 | 1.7 | 2.9 |
| Luxembourg | 127.4 | -0.2 | 10,3 |
| Hungary | 101.3 | -0.6 | 3.3 |
| Malta | 115.1 | -0.9 | -0.7 |
| Netherlands | 100.2 | -1.4 | -1.2 |
| Austria | 97.0 | -0.1 | 1.5 |
| Poland | 106.9 | -1.2 | -1.5 |
| Portugal | 112.5 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
| Romania | 116.8 | -0.9 | 3.5 |
| Slovenia | 101.1 | 0.7 | 4.2 |
| Slovakia | 101.2 | -0.9 | -1.4 |
| Finland | 91.9 | 0.2 | -0.8 |
| Sweden | 95.5 | -0.1 | 0.5 |
b) Calendar adjusted.
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, February 2025. (7 April 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 February retail trade increased by 3.3% - just as the one published by Eurostat - compared to the same month of the previous year. ↩