Sweden Retail Sales Slow to 7-Month Low

Retail sales in Sweden rose by 1.5% year-on-year in December 2025, easing from an upwardly revised and over four-year high of 6.9% in the previous month. This marked the weakest growth since a drop in May, as sales slowed sharply for non-durable goods (3.1% vs 10.8% in November). At the same time, grocery trade excluding Systembolaget declined (-0.2% vs 2.1%). On a monthly basis, retail activity fell by 0.7% in December, reversing a five-month high increase of 1.1% in the previous month. Over the October to December period, trade was 1.0% higher compared to the preceding three-month period of July to September.

Retail sales in Sweden rose by 5.6% year-on-year in November 2025, accelerating from an upwardly revised 3.5% increase in the previous month. This marked the strongest annual increase since November 2021, driven by a faster rise in both non-durable goods (8.6% vs 6.0% in October) and grocery trade excluding Systembolaget (2.0% vs 0.3%). On a monthly basis, retail sales grew by 1.1% in November, rebounding from a downwardly revised 0.2% decline in the preceding month. Over the September-November period, sales were up 1.4% compared to the previous three months (June-August).

Retail sales in Sweden rose by 3.4% year-on-year in October 2025, easing from an upwardly revised and five-month high of 4.6% in the previous month. This marked the weakest growth since July, as sales slowed for non-durable goods (5.6% vs 8.5% in September). In contrast, the grocery trade excluding Systembolaget (0.7% vs 0.5%) edged higher. Meanwhile, total trade excluding petrol stations moderated to a three-month low of 3.4% from 4.6% in September. On a monthly basis, retail activity fell 0.3% in October, reversing an upwardly revised 0.3% gain in the previous month. Over the August to October period, trade increased by 2.6% compared to the preceding three-month period of May to July.