Latvia Retail Sales Growth at 6-Month High

Retail sales in Latvia rose 3.5% year-on-year in August 2026, slowing from a downwardly revised 6.8% increase in July and marking the weakest pace since April. Sales growth eased for food products (2.3% vs 2.6%), non-food products excluding automotive fuel (3.9% vs 9.6%), and automotive fuel (4.3% vs 8.2%). Within the non-food segment, sales slowed for information and communication equipment (6.7% vs 10.4%), hardware, construction materials and sanitary equipment (3.1% vs 17.3%), pharmaceutical and medical goods (8.1% vs 8.6%), and electrical household appliances (0.7% vs 6.2%), while sales of clothing, footwear and leather goods were flat (0.0% vs 10.1%) and goods in non-specialised stores declined (-1.5% vs 10.2%). In contrast, sales accelerated via mail order or the Internet (15.3% vs 14.8%) and for cosmetic and toilet articles (3.6% vs 2.9%), while sales via stalls and markets fell 9.3%. On a monthly basis, sales fell 1.4%, reversing a downwardly revised 2.2% increase in July.

Retail sales in Latvia rose 7.0% year-on-year in July 2026, accelerating from a revised 5.2% increase in the previous month and reaching its highest level since January. Sales rebounded for information and communication equipment (10.4% vs -7.3% in June) and cosmetic and toilet articles (2.9% vs -0.1%). Sales also increased across several categories, including non-food products excluding automotive fuel (9.6% vs 6.6%), automotive fuels (8.2% vs 2.4%), goods in non-specialised stores (10.2% vs 2.4%), hardware, paints and glass (17.3% vs 12.3%), clothing, footwear and leather goods (10.1% vs 6.7%), and pharmaceutical and medical goods (8.6% vs 4.8%). Meanwhile, retail activity slowed for food, beverages and tobacco (2.6% vs 4.6%), electrical household appliances (6.2% vs 9.5%), and sales via mail order or the Internet (14.8% vs 19.0%). On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 2.5%, following a revised 0.9% increase in June.

Retail sales in Latvia increased 4.8% year-on-year in June 2026, accelerating from an upwardly revised 3.6% gain in May. Growth strengthened in both food sales (4.6% vs 2.9%) and non-food sales (5.9% vs 5.5%). Within the non-food segment, sales rose further in non-specialized stores (2.2% vs 1.9%) and across several specialized retailers, including electrical household appliances (9.6% vs 5.7%), construction materials and sanitary equipment (11.8% vs 9.0%), cultural and sporting goods (9.0% vs 4.4%), and clothing, footwear, and leather goods (6.4% vs 0.3%). Meanwhile, mail-order and online sales accelerated sharply to 18.6% from 12.3%. Sales of automotive fuel rebounded 2.4% after a 2.1% decline in May. On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 0.6%, quickening from an upwardly revised 0.1% increase in the previous month.