Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, February 2026
Released: 13 April 2026
In February 2026, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 1.7%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in most Member States, with the largest rises recorded in Malta (11%) and Luxembourg (12%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU fell by 0.3% compared with the previous month.
In February 2026, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.8% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar adjusted data indicate a 0.3% increase compared with the previous month. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes rose by 3.9% in Poland and fell by 2.4% in Slovakia compared with February 2025 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 2.2% 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 4.1%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 4.3% decline. Non-food retail trade volumes increased overall by 5.0%. Compared with February 2025, sales volumes rose by 9.6% in second hand goods shops, by 7.8% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, by 4.9% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 2.6% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 2.5% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, and by 2.0% in furniture and electrical goods stores. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 9.1% of retail sales in February 2026, increased by 8.9%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 6.4% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, increased by 8.2%.
In February 2026, national retail trade turnover at current prices amounted to HUF 1,484 billion. Of total national retail sales, 49% 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.2
According to Trading Economics macro models3, 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, February 2026
Territorial units
Indicesa) (base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previous montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
104.1
–0.3
1.7
Euro area
103.8
–0.2
1.7
Belgium
91.8
–0.4
–0.4
Bulgaria
125.8
1.0
7.3
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
98.0
0.0
1.9
Germany
100.4
–0.6
0.6
Estonia
98.2
–0.1
4.8
Ireland
110.7
0.5
0.3
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
112.2
0.0
2.0
France
108.2
–0.1
3.9
Croatia
118.0
–0.2
3.1
Italy
97.7
0.0
0.3
Cyprus
128.4
0.8
5.0
Latvia
106.3
–1.1
4.4
Lithuania
107.5
–2.5
2.7
Luxembourg
141.2
–1.7
11.9
Hungary
104.9
0.3
3.8
Malta
128.9
2.0
11.4
Netherlands
101.1
–0.3
0.1
Austria
97.0
–0.6
–0.3
Poland
111.3
–2.4
3.9
Portugal
118.1
0.8
4.7
Romania
111.0
0.2
–6.8
Slovenia
97.7
–2.0
–3.5
Slovakia
100.3
0.2
–2.4
Finland
94.0
–0.2
2.7
Sweden
97.3
–0.9
2.1
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, February 2026. Download date: 8 April 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 February increased by 3.8% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 0.4% compared with the previous month after seasonal and calendar adjustment. ↩
-
The sum of sub totals may differ from 100% due to rounding. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩
Released: 13 April 2026
In February 2026, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 1.7%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in most Member States, with the largest rises recorded in Malta (11%) and Luxembourg (12%). Seasonally and calendar adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU fell by 0.3% compared with the previous month.
In February 2026, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.8% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar adjusted data indicate a 0.3% increase compared with the previous month. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes rose by 3.9% in Poland and fell by 2.4% in Slovakia compared with February 2025 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non-specialized food shops increased by 2.2% 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 4.1%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 4.3% decline. Non-food retail trade volumes increased overall by 5.0%. Compared with February 2025, sales volumes rose by 9.6% in second hand goods shops, by 7.8% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, by 4.9% in non-specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, by 2.6% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 2.5% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, and by 2.0% in furniture and electrical goods stores. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 9.1% of retail sales in February 2026, increased by 8.9%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 6.4% compared with a year earlier. Sales volumes of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories stores, not included in retail trade data, increased by 8.2%.
In February 2026, national retail trade turnover at current prices amounted to HUF 1,484 billion. Of total national retail sales, 49% 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.2
According to Trading Economics macro models3, 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, February 2026
| Territorial units | Indicesa) (base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previous montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 104.1 | –0.3 | 1.7 |
| Euro area | 103.8 | –0.2 | 1.7 |
| Belgium | 91.8 | –0.4 | –0.4 |
| Bulgaria | 125.8 | 1.0 | 7.3 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 98.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| Germany | 100.4 | –0.6 | 0.6 |
| Estonia | 98.2 | –0.1 | 4.8 |
| Ireland | 110.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 112.2 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| France | 108.2 | –0.1 | 3.9 |
| Croatia | 118.0 | –0.2 | 3.1 |
| Italy | 97.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Cyprus | 128.4 | 0.8 | 5.0 |
| Latvia | 106.3 | –1.1 | 4.4 |
| Lithuania | 107.5 | –2.5 | 2.7 |
| Luxembourg | 141.2 | –1.7 | 11.9 |
| Hungary | 104.9 | 0.3 | 3.8 |
| Malta | 128.9 | 2.0 | 11.4 |
| Netherlands | 101.1 | –0.3 | 0.1 |
| Austria | 97.0 | –0.6 | –0.3 |
| Poland | 111.3 | –2.4 | 3.9 |
| Portugal | 118.1 | 0.8 | 4.7 |
| Romania | 111.0 | 0.2 | –6.8 |
| Slovenia | 97.7 | –2.0 | –3.5 |
| Slovakia | 100.3 | 0.2 | –2.4 |
| Finland | 94.0 | –0.2 | 2.7 |
| Sweden | 97.3 | –0.9 | 2.1 |
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, February 2026. Download date: 8 April 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 February increased by 3.8% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 0.4% compared with the previous month after seasonal and calendar adjustment. ↩
-
The sum of sub totals may differ from 100% due to rounding. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩