Norway Retail Sales Post Biggest Drop in Nearly 2 Years

Retail sales in Norway fell by 2.1% month-over-month in May 2026, marking the steepest decline since June 2024 and following a downwardly revised 0.1% rise in April. Sales decreased across all categories, including non-specialized stores (-2.2% vs 1.3% in April), food, beverages and tobacco (-1.7% vs 0.5%), automotive fuel (-3.1% vs 0.3%), ICT equipment (-5.4% vs -4.6%), other household equipment (-1.6% vs 1.9%), cultural and recreational goods (-6.2% vs 2.1%), other goods (-2.9% vs -0.4%), and trade not in stores/stalls etc. (-0.3% vs 0.3%). On an annual basis, retail sales declined by 2.5%, also the biggest fall in nearly two years, reversing a downwardly revised 0.7% increase in April.

Retail sales in Norway rose by 0.3% month-over-month in April 2026, rebounding from a 0.1% decline in the previous month. Sales recovered for automotive fuel (1.1% vs -8.8% in March), non-specialized stores (1.7% vs -1.9%), and trade not in stores, stalls, or markets (0.3% vs -0.5%). In addition, sales growth accelerated for other household equipment (1.7% vs 0.5%). On the other hand, sales increased at a softer pace for food and beverages (0.5% vs 1.2%) and cultural and recreational goods (1.3% vs 3.4%), while it slipped for both ICT equipment (-1.5% vs 3.4%) and other goods (-0.2% vs 2.9%). On a yearly basis, retail sales increased by 0.9% in April, slightly picking up from a downwardly revised and near one-year low of 0.8% in the previous month.

Retail sales in Norway edged down by 0.1% month-on-month in March 2026, easing from a 1.1% drop in February, which had marked the sharpest fall since June 2024. Renewed declines were recorded in sales of automotive fuel (-8.8% vs 1.6% in February) and in non-specialised stores (-1.9% vs 0.3%). Trade not in stores/stalls etc. also continued to drop, though at a slower pace (-0.5% vs -1.1%). These decreases, however, were partly offset by rebounds in sales of food and beverages (1.2% vs -2.4%), ICT equipment (3.4% vs -6.7%), other household equipment (0.5% vs -4.4%), cultural and recreational goods (3.4% vs -1.5%), and other goods (2.9% vs -2.4%). On a yearly basis, retail sales rose by 0.9% in March, the smallest gain since May 2025, following a 1.6% growth in the previous month.