Volume change in retail trade in the Member States of the European Union, January 2026
Released: 13 March 2026
In January 2026, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar‑adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 2.3%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in all Member States except Slovenia and Slovakia, with the largest rise recorded in Luxembourg (25%). (In the case of Luxembourg, the exceptionally high increase may be explained by structural changes affecting retail trade.) Seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU grew by 0.1% compared with the previous month.
In January 2026, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.5% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data indicate a 0.5% increase compared with the previous month. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes rose by 6.6% in Poland and fell by 3.1% in Slovakia compared with January 2025 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non‑specialized food shops increased by 1.2% 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 3.7%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 6.5% decline. Non‑food retail trade volumes increased overall by 4.7%. Compared with January 2025, sales volumes rose by 10% in second‑hand goods shops, by 6.7% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, by 3.3% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 1.9% in non‑specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, and by 1.5% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, while they fell by 3.3% in furniture and electrical goods stores. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 9.8% of retail sales in January 2026, increased by 14%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 5.7% 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 6.5%.
In January 2026, national retail trade turnover at current prices amounted to HUF 1,504 billion. Of total national retail sales, 50% 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.
According to Trading Economics macro models2, retail trade in the European Union could grow by around 1.3% year on year by the end of Q1 2026. In Hungary, growth of 3.5% is expected for the first quarter of 2026, followed by further increases (between 3.0% and 3.8% per quarter) throughout 2026.
Table 1
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, January 2026
Territorial units
Indicesa) (base year 2021)
% change compared with
the previous montha)
the same month of the previous yearb)
European Union average
104.5
0.1
2.3
Euro area
104.0
–0.1
2.0
Belgium
92.2
–0.2
0.4
Bulgaria
135.8
–0.5
3.9
Czechia
..
..
..
Denmark
98.1
–0.3
2.9
Germany
100.7
–0.9
1.2
Estonia
98.0
4.4
8.7
Ireland
110.1
–0.2
1.4
Greece
..
..
..
Spain
112.6
0.2
3.6
France
107.7
0.3
2.5
Croatia
118.2
–1.3
3.0
Italy
97.6
0.2
0.4
Cyprus
127.3
–0.8
7,6
Latvia
108.8
2.8
6.0
Lithuania
110.9
0.5
9.3
Luxembourg
146.4
0.1
24.7
Hungary
104.5
0.5
3.5
Malta
125.1
–0.1
4.8
Netherlands
102.1
0.4
0.7
Austria
97.5
–0.3
0.7
Poland
114.0
1.6
6.6
Portugal
117.5
2.0
4.7
Romania
..
..
..
Slovenia
99.3
–1.9
–1.5
Slovakia
100.4
–3.5
–3.1
Finland
93.5
0.4
2.8
Sweden
98.6
0.5
3.8
a) Calendar and seasonally adjusted
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, January 2026. Download date: 5 March 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 January increased by 3.5% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 0.5% compared with the previous month after seasonal and calendar adjustment. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩
Released: 13 March 2026
In January 2026, the volume of retail trade in the European Union, based on calendar‑adjusted data, exceeded the same month of the previous year by 2.3%. According to the available data, retail trade volumes increased in all Member States except Slovenia and Slovakia, with the largest rise recorded in Luxembourg (25%). (In the case of Luxembourg, the exceptionally high increase may be explained by structural changes affecting retail trade.) Seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data show that retail trade volumes in the EU grew by 0.1% compared with the previous month.
In January 2026, the volume of retail trade in Hungary was 3.5% higher than a year earlier1, while seasonally and calendar‑adjusted data indicate a 0.5% increase compared with the previous month. Among the Visegrád countries (V4), retail trade volumes rose by 6.6% in Poland and fell by 3.1% in Slovakia compared with January 2025 (data for Czechia were not available).
In Hungary, the volume of retail trade in specialized and non‑specialized food shops increased by 1.2% 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 3.7%, while specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores registered a 6.5% decline. Non‑food retail trade volumes increased overall by 4.7%. Compared with January 2025, sales volumes rose by 10% in second‑hand goods shops, by 6.7% in textiles, clothing and footwear shops, by 3.3% in books, computer equipment and other specialized stores, by 1.9% in non‑specialized shops dealing in manufactured goods, and by 1.5% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, while they fell by 3.3% in furniture and electrical goods stores. Mail order and internet retailing, covering a wide range of goods and accounting for 9.8% of retail sales in January 2026, increased by 14%. The volume of sales at automotive fuel stations rose by 5.7% 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 6.5%.
In January 2026, national retail trade turnover at current prices amounted to HUF 1,504 billion. Of total national retail sales, 50% 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.
According to Trading Economics macro models2, retail trade in the European Union could grow by around 1.3% year on year by the end of Q1 2026. In Hungary, growth of 3.5% is expected for the first quarter of 2026, followed by further increases (between 3.0% and 3.8% per quarter) throughout 2026.
Volume of retail trade in the member states of the European Union, January 2026
| Territorial units | Indicesa) (base year 2021) | % change compared with | |
|---|---|---|---|
| the previous montha) | the same month of the previous yearb) | ||
| European Union average | 104.5 | 0.1 | 2.3 |
| Euro area | 104.0 | –0.1 | 2.0 |
| Belgium | 92.2 | –0.2 | 0.4 |
| Bulgaria | 135.8 | –0.5 | 3.9 |
| Czechia | .. | .. | .. |
| Denmark | 98.1 | –0.3 | 2.9 |
| Germany | 100.7 | –0.9 | 1.2 |
| Estonia | 98.0 | 4.4 | 8.7 |
| Ireland | 110.1 | –0.2 | 1.4 |
| Greece | .. | .. | .. |
| Spain | 112.6 | 0.2 | 3.6 |
| France | 107.7 | 0.3 | 2.5 |
| Croatia | 118.2 | –1.3 | 3.0 |
| Italy | 97.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Cyprus | 127.3 | –0.8 | 7,6 |
| Latvia | 108.8 | 2.8 | 6.0 |
| Lithuania | 110.9 | 0.5 | 9.3 |
| Luxembourg | 146.4 | 0.1 | 24.7 |
| Hungary | 104.5 | 0.5 | 3.5 |
| Malta | 125.1 | –0.1 | 4.8 |
| Netherlands | 102.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
| Austria | 97.5 | –0.3 | 0.7 |
| Poland | 114.0 | 1.6 | 6.6 |
| Portugal | 117.5 | 2.0 | 4.7 |
| Romania | .. | .. | .. |
| Slovenia | 99.3 | –1.9 | –1.5 |
| Slovakia | 100.4 | –3.5 | –3.1 |
| Finland | 93.5 | 0.4 | 2.8 |
| Sweden | 98.6 | 0.5 | 3.8 |
b) Calendar adjusted
Source: Euro indicators – Retail trade, January 2026. Download date: 5 March 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 January increased by 3.5% compared with the same month of the previous year, and by 0.5% compared with the previous month after seasonal and calendar adjustment. ↩
-
Trading Economics data is available after registration. ↩