Retail trade volumes across the euro area and the European Union declined in September 2026 compared with the previous month, according to initial estimates published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. The seasonally adjusted retail trade volume dropped by 0.7% within the euro area and by 0.6% across the broader EU during September. This contraction follows growth registered in August 2026, when retail trade volume advanced by 0.4% in both the euro area and the EU.
On an annual basis, comparing September 2026 with September 2025, the calendar-adjusted retail sales index registered a slight increase of 0.4% in the euro area and 0.9% across the EU member states.
Sector-level data for the euro area in September 2026 compared with August 2026 show that the volume of retail trade decreased by 0.3% for food, drinks, and tobacco, and dropped by 1.2% for non-food products excluding automotive fuel. Conversely, the volume for automotive fuel in specialised stores increased by 1.0%. Within the wider EU, retail trade volume for food, drinks, and tobacco declined by 0.4%, non-food products excluding automotive fuel fell by 1.0%, and automotive fuel in specialised stores rose by 0.1%.
Across individual member states for which data are available, the most pronounced monthly decreases in total retail trade volume were recorded in Germany at 2.0%, Romania at 1.3%, and Portugal at 0.9%. On the other hand, the highest monthly increases were observed in Luxembourg with a gain of 5.3%, Slovakia with 2.2%, and Malta with 1.5%. Switzerland recorded a monthly decrease of 0.8% in September after registering a 0.6% increase in August.
When examining annual figures for the euro area in September 2026 compared with September 2025, retail trade volume increased by 1.1% for food, drinks, and tobacco, and grew by 0.7% for non-food products excluding automotive fuel. However, automotive fuel in specialised stores saw a decrease of 3.0%. For the EU as a whole, annual volumes increased by 1.0% for food, drinks, and tobacco and by 1.2% for non-food products excluding automotive fuel, while automotive fuel in specialised stores declined by 2.3%.
Member state comparisons on an annual basis revealed the highest increases in total retail trade volume in Cyprus at 7.6%, Sweden at 6.9%, and Bulgaria at 5.7%. Conversely, the largest annual decreases were observed in Germany at 2.4%, Romania at 2.3%, and Spain at 1.5%. Switzerland posted an annual increase of 1.7% for September 2026, following a 3.9% rise in August.
