Euro area retail sales fell 0.7% in September
Non-food sales recorded the sharpest monthly fall. Retail volumes were still higher than a year earlier.
Retail sales volumes in the euro area fell 0.7% in September from the previous month, according to Eurostat’s first estimate. Across the European Union, they fell 0.6%. Both areas had recorded a 0.4% increase in August, after Eurostat revised its initial estimate for that month.
Non-food sales excluding motor fuel recorded the sharpest drop among the euro area categories Eurostat tracks, falling 1.2%. Sales of food, drinks and tobacco slipped 0.3%. Motor fuel sales at specialist retailers rose 1%.
The September figures varied across member states with available data. Germany recorded a 2% fall from August and Romania a 1.3% fall. Luxembourg recorded a 5.3% increase and Slovakia a 2.2% increase.
Compared with September 2025, retail volumes were up 0.4% in the euro area and 0.9% across the EU. The figures measure sales after adjusting for price changes, which helps show how the amount of goods sold moved independently of changes in retail prices.