Monthly survey on retail trade - 2026-03
Published on 21st of April 2026
Retail turnover picks up in March
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 March , retail turnover rose by 0.4 % (seasonally and working-day adjusted), following a decline of 0.5 % in February. The increase was driven by a rebound in manufactured goods sales (up 0.7 % after -1.6 %), while food sales were broadly unchanged, following a 1.0% rise in the previous month.
Within manufactured goods, sales of bicycles and motorcycles continued to grow strongly (7.2 % after 5.6 %). Pharmaceutical product sales also increased, albeit at a more moderate pace (3.9 % after 0.4%), while sales of sporting goods recovered (2.1 % after -4.9 %). By contrast, sales of games and toys and of books declined, by 3.9 % and 2.7 % respectively, following increases in February.
Across distribution channels, sales in hypermarkets fell again (-0.6 % after -0.1 %). In contrast, sales in supermarkets (0.1 % after -0.4 %), department stores (1.3 % after -6.9 %) and smaller retailers (3.1 % after -0.6 %) returned to growth.
On a three-month-on-three-month basis, retail turnover increased by 0.5 %, reflecting divergent developments between manufactured goods (down 0.5 %) and food products (up 1.8 %).
Within manufactured goods, sales of bicycles and motorcycles continued to grow strongly (7.2 % after 5.6 %). Pharmaceutical product sales also increased, albeit at a more moderate pace (3.9 % after 0.4%), while sales of sporting goods recovered (2.1 % after -4.9 %). By contrast, sales of games and toys and of books declined, by 3.9 % and 2.7 % respectively, following increases in February.
Across distribution channels, sales in hypermarkets fell again (-0.6 % after -0.1 %). In contrast, sales in supermarkets (0.1 % after -0.4 %), department stores (1.3 % after -6.9 %) and smaller retailers (3.1 % after -0.6 %) returned to growth.
On a three-month-on-three-month basis, retail turnover increased by 0.5 %, reflecting divergent developments between manufactured goods (down 0.5 %) and food products (up 1.8 %).
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_202603.pdf
Additional links
Breakdown by industrial product and outlet category - March 2026
Updated on the 20th of April 2026