Danish Retail Sales Growth Softens in August

Retail sales in Denmark rose 2.2% year-on-year in February 2026, slowing from a 3.8% gain in the previous month. This marked the weakest annual growth since June 2025, as sales moderated in supermarkets, department stores, and specialized grocery stores (0.3% vs 1.9% in January), household equipment, furniture, and building materials (5.2% vs 7.8%), clothing, footwear, and jewelry (4.6% vs 6.1%), and second-hand goods (9.6% vs 16.5%). In addition, sales tumbled for cultural and leisure products (-5% vs 4.8%). On the other hand, declines softened at fuel stations (-0.4% vs -3.8%), while retail growth accelerated in both consumer electronics (12.8% vs 11.8%) and pharmacies and personal care (5% vs 3.5%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail activity fell 0.3%, reversing an upwardly revised 0.8% gain in January.

Retail sales in Denmark rose 3.8% year-on-year in January 2026 from an upwardly revised 3.7% gain in the previous month. Sales increased in supermarkets, department stores, and specialized grocery stores (1.8% vs 1.2% in December 2025), household equipment, furniture, and building materials (7.9% vs 7.5%), clothing, footwear, and jewelry (6.9% vs 3.7%), and second-hand goods (15.7% vs 3.2%). In contrast, sales growth slowed in consumer electronics (11.9% vs 12.1%), cultural and leisure products (6.1% vs 8.3%), and pharmaceutical and personal care products (3% vs 5.3%), while activity fell further in liquid fuel filling stations (-3.8% vs -2.2%). On a monthly basis, retail sales grew by 0.7% in January, rebounding from an upwardly revised 1.3% drop in the preceding period.

Retail sales in Denmark rose by 3.3% year-on-year in December 2025, slowing from an upwardly revised 4.9% increase in the previous month. This marked the weakest annual growth since August, as sales moderated notably in both clothing (0.7% vs 4.6% in November) and other consumer goods (6.4% vs 8.3%). In addition, sales of food and other groceries slipped (-0.3% vs 0.1%). However, despite the December declines across all three sub-components, quarterly increases were recorded in each category: other consumer goods rose by 2.7%, food and other daily necessities increased by 1.1%, and clothing posted a smaller gain of 0.1%. On a monthly basis, retail sales fell by 1.2%, reversing an upwardly revised 1.7% rise in the previous month and marking the first fall since June 2025.