Euro area retail volumes fall 0.7 per cent in September
EU retail volumes declined by 0.6 per cent, while both measures remained above their September 2025 levels.
Retail trade volumes fell across the euro area and the EU in September 2026, according to initial estimates from Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office. After seasonal adjustment, volumes were down 0.7 per cent in the euro area and 0.6 per cent across the EU compared with August.
Non-food goods excluding automotive fuel registered monthly declines of 1.2 per cent in the euro area and 1.0 per cent in the EU. Food, drink and tobacco sales volumes fell by 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively. Automotive fuel sold through specialised stores moved in the opposite direction, rising by 1.0 per cent and 0.1 per cent.
Of the member states with available figures, Germany recorded the steepest monthly fall, at 2.0 per cent. Romania followed with a 1.3 per cent decline and Portugal with 0.9 per cent. Luxembourg recorded the strongest increase, at 5.3 per cent, ahead of Slovakia at 2.2 per cent and Malta at 1.5 per cent.
The calendar-adjusted retail sales index was still higher than in September 2025: by 0.4 per cent in the euro area and 0.9 per cent in the EU. Cyprus led the annual increases at 7.6 per cent, followed by Sweden at 6.9 per cent and Bulgaria at 5.7 per cent. Germany had the largest annual decline, at 2.4 per cent.
Eurostat also revised August’s monthly growth estimate upwards to 0.4 per cent for both areas, from 0.1 per cent previously. The retail volume measure adjusts turnover for price changes.
