Greece’s Retail Sales Bounce Back in October

Retail sales in Greece rose 0.3% year-on-year in November 2025, a sharp slowdown from the 4.4% increase recorded in October. Fuel sales declined for a second consecutive month, falling 7.2% after a 2.5% drop in the previous month. Sales of clothing and footwear also contracted, slipping 1.0% after surging 9.6% in October, while food, beverages and tobacco edged down 0.6% following a 0.2% gain. Growth also moderated across several other categories, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics (3.9% versus 8.9%), books, stationery and other goods (7.8% versus 12.3%), and furnishings (9.5% versus 9.7%). On a month-on-month basis, retail sales fell 1.0%, reversing a 2.6% increase in October.

Greece’s retail sales rose 4.2% year-on-year in October 2025, rebounding from a 1.7% decline in September. Gains were broad-based, led by clothing and footwear (up 9.6% vs -4.8% in September), furniture, electrical and household equipment (9.7% vs 6.8%), books, stationery and other goods (12.3% vs 5.0%), pharmaceuticals and cosmetics (8.9% vs 6.3%), and food, beverages, and tobacco (0.2% vs -1.0%). Fuel sales continued to decline, falling 2.5% compared with a 6.7% drop in September. On a monthly basis, retail sales surged 2.6% in October, following a 1.9% decline the previous month.

Retail sales in Greece declined 1.7% year-on-year in September 2025, reversing from a 3.8% increase in August, marking the first contraction in four months. The drop was driven by food sales (-3.6% vs 5.0% in August), a sharper decline in automotive fuel (-7.2% vs -2.4%), and slower growth in non-food items (2.7% vs 6.9%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail activity fell 2.0%, reversing from a modest 0.1% rise in August.