Czech Retail Sales Growth Slows in August

Retail sales in the Czech Republic rose by 4.3% year-on-year in August 2026, slightly above market expectations for a 4.2% gain but softer than the previous month’s 5.1% increase. The slowdown was largely driven by lower sales in automotive fuel (-3.2% vs 5.8% in July). However, turnover growth was still broad-based, led by non-food goods, which climbed 7.4% (vs 6.5%), while food sales stood at 3.0%. Among non-food categories, clothing and footwear sales rose 10.0% (vs 8.4%), contributing the most to overall retail growth, while online and mail-order sales jumped 15.0% (vs 12.4%), marking the strongest increase among retailers. Revenues in non-specialized stores with a predominance of food also increased 3.1% (vs 2.9%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales excluding motor vehicles rose 0.2% in August, easing from a slightly upwardly revised 0.7% gain in the preceding period.

Retail sales in the Czech Republic grew by 4.8% year-on-year in July 2026, exceeding market expectations for a 4.5% gain and marking the fastest rise since March. The latest reading accelerated from a downwardly revised 3.4% increase in the previous month. Growth was broad-based, led by non-food goods, which rose 6.6%, while food sales increased by 2.7% and automotive fuel sales advanced by 4%. Among non-food categories, clothing and footwear sales climbed 8.8%, while pharmaceutical and medical goods rose 7.8%. Online and mail-order sales recorded the strongest increase, jumping 12.4%, while stores selling household products were the only category to post a decline. Meanwhile, sales of motor vehicles and repairs increased by 0.5% from a year earlier. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales rose by 0.6% in July, rebounding from a 0.1% decline in June.

Retail sales in the Czech Republic rose by 3.6% year-on-year in June 2026, falling short of market expectations for a 3.9% increase and slowing from a slightly upwardly revised 4.8% gain in the previous month. Sales growth softened for food, beverages and tobacco (2.1% vs 3% in May) and non-food products (5.4% vs 7.6%). Among the non-food sector, revenues declined for information and communication equipment (-1.5% vs -2.9%) and cultural and recreation goods (-1.1% vs 5.5%), while other household equipment (1.2% vs 4.2%) and clothing, footwear and leather goods (3.3% vs 17%) recorded smaller gains. Meanwhile, sales via online and mail (12.6% vs 12%) posted the biggest rise, followed by cosmetic and toilet articles (8.9% vs 9.1%) and in stores selling pharmaceutical and medical goods (7.4% vs 6.6%). Automotive fuel sales also increased modestly (0.3% vs -1.4%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail activity fell by 0.1% in June, reversing a 1.3% gain in May.