German Retail Sales Unexpectedly Rise

Germany’s retail sales rose 1.1% month-on-month in May 2026, rebounding from a revised 0.4% decline in the previous month and defying market expectations for a 0.1% fall. It marked the biggest growth since June last year, suggesting that consumer spending regained some momentum despite ongoing economic uncertainty. The upturn was supported by broad-based gains across major categories, with food sales rising 1.1% and non-food sales increasing 1.0%. Meanwhile, online and mail-order retailing jumped 3.4%, indicating resilient demand through e-commerce. On an annual basis, retail sales advanced 1.8%, swinging from a revised 0.6% decline in April and marking the strongest annual growth in five months.

Germany’s retail sales dropped 0.3% month-on-month in April 2026, matching the pace of a downwardly revised decline in the previous month and outperforming market expectations for a 0.4% fall. The latest reading marked the fourth straight monthly contraction, as heightened uncertainty stemming from the Middle East conflict continued to weigh on consumer sentiment and spending. By category, non-food sales declined 2.2%, while online and mail-order trade shrank 4.7%. In contrast, food sales rose 3.2%, partially offsetting broader weakness. On an annual basis, retail sales slipped 0.3%, following a downwardly revised 0.2% decline in March, indicating that consumer demand remained subdued despite easing inflationary pressures.

Germany’s retail sales dropped 2.0% month-over-month in March 2026, significantly missing market expectations for a milder 0.1% decline and deepening from a downwardly revised 0.3% fall in the previous month. This marked the third consecutive monthly contraction and the sharpest decrease since October 2022, as heightened uncertainty linked to the Middle East conflict weighed on consumer sentiment and spending. Food sales led the downturn, falling 2.7%, while non-food sales slipped 1.0%. In contrast, online and mail-order trade showed resilience, rising 3.0%. On an annual basis, retail sales also fell 2.0%, swinging from an upwardly revised 0.9% increase in February and undershooting forecasts for a 0.5% gain.