Czech Retail Sales Growth Weakest Since 2023

Retail sales in the Czech Republic rose 1.6% year-on-year in April 2026, well below market expectations of 3.6% and slowing sharply from a 6.2% increase in March. This was the weakest growth since December 2023, as sales fell for food, beverages and tobacco (-1.2% vs 5.4% in March), information and communication equipment (-3.7% vs -2.7%), and automotive fuel (-3.1% vs 9.0%). Growth also eased for other retail sales in non-specialised stores (4.9% vs 7.1%), cultural and recreational goods (0.1% vs 1.1%), pharmaceutical and medical goods (6.2% vs 6.8%), and household equipment (1.9% vs 2.0%). Meanwhile, sales of clothing, footwear and leather goods rebounded (3.2% vs -1.9%), while growth in cosmetic and toilet articles accelerated further (9.0% vs 7.1%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales fell 0.9%, reversing a revised 1.6% gain in the previous month.

Retail sales in the Czech Republic rose by 4.9% year-on-year in March 2026, exceeding market expectations of a 3.4% gain and accelerating from an upwardly revised 3.7% increase in the previous month. Sales increased for all categories, including food, beverages and tobacco (4.8% vs 0.9% in February), non-food products (5.5% vs 6%), and automotive fuel (2.6% vs 3.5%). Among the non-food sector, turnover particularly rose in specialized stores selling cosmetics and toiletries (7.5% vs 7.2%), pharmaceutical and medical goods (6.8% vs 4.7%), and non-specialized stores selling mainly non-food goods (6.6% vs 6.2%). Sales in online and mail order stores also increased by 13.4% (vs 16.1%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail activity grew by 1.2% in March, marking the sharpest increase since last April and rebounding from a revised 0.2% gain in the preceding period.

Retail sales in the Czech Republic rose by 4.1% year-on-year in February 2026, well above market expectations of a 3.8% gain but easing from a downwardly revised 4.9% growth in the previous month. Activity slowed in the sales of automotive fuel (3.4% vs 5.8% in January), sales not in stores, stalls, and markets (19.3% vs 16.1%), and sales via mail and internet (17.6% vs 20.8%). In the non-food sector, turnover also decreased (6.6% vs 8.2%), particularly for culture, sports, and recreation (5.4% vs 9.4%), information and communication equipment (1.5% vs 2.2%), and cosmetics and toiletries (7.9% vs 8.4%). Meanwhile, sales grew for non-specialised stores (1.5% vs 0.9%) and food, beverages, and tobacco (1.2% vs 0.2%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail activity recorded a flat reading, following a 0.9% increase in the preceding period.