Colombia Retail Sales Extend Growth Streak

Retail sales in Colombia rose 13.4% year-on-year in March 2026, beating forecasts of 10.1% and accelerating from a 10.9% increase in February. Growth was broad-based, with all 19 retail categories posting gains. The strongest contributions came from motor vehicles and motorcycles mainly for household use (35.8%), other motor vehicles and motorcycles (34.8%), and computer and telecommunications equipment for personal or household use (26.8%). Excluding fuel sales, real retail sales advanced 15.6%. Employment in the retail sector also increased 1.9% from a year earlier. In the first quarter of 2026, retail sales rose 10.8% compared with the same period in 2025.

Retail sales in Colombia rose 10.9% year-on-year in February 2026, surpassing market expectations of a 9.8% increase and accelerating from 7.8% in January. Growth was broad-based, with all 19 retail categories posting gains. The strongest contributions came from motor vehicles and motorcycles for household use, which surged 26.6%, followed by computer and telecommunications equipment for personal or home use, up 39.2%, and other motor vehicles and motorcycles, which increased 21.7%. In the first two months of the year, retail sales grew by 9.3% compared to the same period a year earlier.

Retail sales in Colombia rose 7.8% year-over-year in January 2026, below forecasts of 10.1% and easing from an 11% increase in December. Seventeen product categories recorded positive growth, while two posted declines. The strongest contributors to annual growth were automobiles and motorcycles for household use at 30.5%, personal and home computing and telecom equipment at 38%, and audio and video devices at 36.6%. Meanwhile, sales of hardware, glass, and paints fell 2.2%, and motor vehicle fuels declined 5.1%.