site.btaRetail Trade Volume in EU Remains Flat in August, Slight Increase in Eurozone; Bulgaria Posts Fifth Highest Annual Growth

Retail trade volume in the European Union remained unchanged in August 2025 compared to July, while the Eurozone registered a slight increase of 0.1 per cent, according to the latest seasonally adjusted preliminary data released by Eurostat on Monday.

In July, retail trade volume had declined by 0.3 per cent in the EU and by 0.4 per cent in the Eurozone.

On an annual basis, compared to August 2024, retail sales rose by 1.1 per cent in the EU and by 1.0 per cent in the Eurozone.

Stable Monthly Performance in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, retail trade volume remained unchanged in August from the previous month, following a decline of 0.3 per cent in July. Earlier in the summer, the country posted stronger performances, with growth of 0.7 per cent in June and 2.2 per cent in May.

On an annual basis, retail trade in Bulgaria increased by 4.9 per cent in August, marking the fifth highest growth rate among EU member states. In July and June, the year-on-year increase stood at 6.0 per cent and 6.8 per cent, respectively.

Sector Breakdown

Within the EU in August, sales of food, beverages and tobacco increased by 0.2 per cent, while non-food products fell by 0.1 per cent. Sales of automotive fuels in specialised stores rose by 0.3 per cent.

In the Eurozone, food, beverages and tobacco sales were up by 0.3 per cent, non-food products dropped by 0.1 per cent, and automotive fuel sales increased by 0.4 per cent.

Monthly Developments by Country

The highest monthly increases in retail trade volume were observed in Lithuania (1.7 per cent), Cyprus and Malta (1.5 per cent each), and Sweden (1.1 per cent). The steepest declines were reported in Romania (4.0 per cent), Poland (0.8 per cent), and Luxembourg and Portugal (0.7 per cent each).

Annual Developments by Sector

On a yearly basis in the EU, sales of food, beverages and tobacco fell by 0.1 per cent, while non-food product sales rose by 2.3 per cent and fuel sales increased by 1.6 per cent. In the Eurozone, food-related sales were up 0.1 per cent, non-food sales increased by 1.9 per cent, and automotive fuels rose by 0.8 per cent.

Top Annual Performers

The largest annual increases in retail sales were recorded in Cyprus (9.4 per cent), Malta (9.2 per cent), Luxembourg (7.3 per cent), Lithuania (6.4 per cent), and Bulgaria (4.9 per cent). The biggest declines were in Romania (3.8 per cent), France (1.4 per cent), and Finland (1.2 per cent).