Monthly survey on retail trade - 2025-04
Published on the 22nd of May 2025
Turnover in retail trade increased in April
Note: The change in retail sales does not reflect the change in total household consumption as the latter includes other items such as health care, education and rents.
In April, turnover in retail trade picked up slightly (+0.5%) month-on-month (data adjusted for seasonal and working-day variations), after remaining stable in March. Food sales and manufactured goods sales rose by +0.4% and +0.6%, after dipping (-0.1%) and slight increasing (+0.1%), respectively, in March. Sales in the manufactured goods subsectors were mixed. They recovered significantly for DIY (+4.7% after -1.2%), furniture (+2.8% after -1.8%) and bicycles and motorcycles (+2.5% after -0.3%), while they fell for games and toys (-3.5% after +1.6%), household appliances (-2.0% after -1.1%) and, to a lesser extent, textiles and clothing (-1.3% after +2.3%).
In terms of distribution channels, hypermarket and supermarket sales rose in April (by +0.9% and +2.2% respectively), while sales at department stores continued to fall (by -2.5%, after dropping by -3.0% in March). Sales at small retail stores were down (by -0.6%, after increasing by +0.4%).
Three month-on-three month, overall turnover in retail trade inched up slightly (+0.5%), with positive changes for manufactured goods and food (up by 0.5% and 0.6% respectively).
In terms of distribution channels, hypermarket and supermarket sales rose in April (by +0.9% and +2.2% respectively), while sales at department stores continued to fall (by -2.5%, after dropping by -3.0% in March). Sales at small retail stores were down (by -0.6%, after increasing by +0.4%).
Three month-on-three month, overall turnover in retail trade inched up slightly (+0.5%), with positive changes for manufactured goods and food (up by 0.5% and 0.6% respectively).
Total manufactured goods and food sales
Month-on-month change (%) - Seasonally and working-day adjusted volumes
Notes:.
1) Sectors are classified according to the relative weight of the products included in the total aggregate of retail trade (weights are given on the right scale).
2) The aggregated and by sub-sector series are seasonally adjusted on an individual basis. Total and manufactured products series are reconstituted by aggregating the SA-WDA series of the sub-components.
3) SA-WDA: Seasonally and working-day adjusted.
1) Sectors are classified according to the relative weight of the products included in the total aggregate of retail trade (weights are given on the right scale).
2) The aggregated and by sub-sector series are seasonally adjusted on an individual basis. Total and manufactured products series are reconstituted by aggregating the SA-WDA series of the sub-components.
3) SA-WDA: Seasonally and working-day adjusted.
Download the PDF version of the document
EN_Stat_Info_retail-trade_202504.pdf
Additional links
Breakdown by industrial product and outlet category – april 2025
Updated on the 21st of May 2025