Romania Retail Sales Fall Most Since 2020

Retail sales in Romania fell 7.3% year-on-year in June 2026, deepening from a downwardly revised 5.1% decline in May and marking the eleventh consecutive month of contraction. It was also the steepest annual decline since April 2020, as sales weakened across all major categories. Sales of food, beverages, and tobacco posted the largest drop (-7.3% vs -4.8% in May), while declines also intensified for non-food products (-6.4% vs -5.7%) and automotive fuel sold in specialized stores (-5.8% vs -3.4%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales fell 1.2% in June, reversing a downwardly revised 0.8% increase in the previous month.

Retail sales in Romania fell by 4.7% year-on-year in May 2026, easing from a downwardly revised 6.2% drop in the previous month. This marked the tenth consecutive month of decline in retail activity albeit at a softer pace, driven largely by a smaller decrease in sales for automotive fuel in specialized stores (-2% vs -2.2%). Turnover also declined at a lesser extent for food, beverages, and tobacco (-4.3% vs -6.1% in April) and non-food products (-5.3% vs -7.6%). On a monthly basis, retail activity grew by 1.3% in May, rebounding from a downwardly revised 2.4% drop in the preceding period.

Retail sales in Romania fell by 6.3% year-on-year in April 2026, following a 3.8% drop in the previous month, marking the ninth consecutive month of contraction and the steepest decline since April 2020. Turnover from food, beverages, and tobacco continued to deteriorate, declining 6.6% after a 3.5% fall in March, while automotive fuel purchases in specialised stores slipped 2.1%, reversing from a 2.8% increase. Additionally, sales of non-food products remained weak, falling 7.9% for a second straight month. On a monthly basis, retail activity declined 2.6% in April, reversing a 2.0% increase in the preceding period.