The latest preliminary figures released by Eurostat reveal that retail trade volume in the euro area experienced a marginal decline of 0.1% in September 2025, while remaining stable across the European Union. Despite this slight monthly dip, a year‐on‐year analysis tells a more positive story.

Steady Month‐to‐Month Performance

After a 0.1% decrease in August 2025, the euro area’s retail trade volume maintained its level in September. In the broader EU, the figures held steady, highlighting a temporary pause in the fluctuating retail environment. Sector-specific analysis indicates that food, drinks, and tobacco maintained stability in the euro area, while non-food products (excluding automotive fuel) fell by 0.2% and automotive fuel in specialized stores experienced a sharper 1.0% decline.

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Compelling Annual Trends

On an annual basis, the calendar‐adjusted retail sales index demonstrated notable growth. The euro area recorded a 1.0% increase compared with September 2024, while the broader EU outpaced this with a 1.3% rise. This uptick is driven by contrasting performances among member states, with Cyprus leading the charge with an 8.5% increase. Malta and Bulgaria followed with increases of 6.6% and 5.7% respectively.

Divergent Market Performances Across Nations

Conversely, several member states showed declines. Italy faced a 2.3% reduction, with Romania (2.1%), Belgium (0.8%), and Austria (0.1%) trailing behind. On a monthly basis, the largest decreases were observed in Lithuania (1.1%), while Latvia, Slovenia, and Italy also saw significant drops. In contrast, Luxembourg and Malta recorded the highest monthly gains at 1.7%, followed by Estonia (1.5%) and Slovakia (1.4%).

Sector-Specific Insights

When analyzing annual changes in more specific sectors within the euro area, the food, drinks, and tobacco segment increased by 1.0%, and non-food products (excluding automotive fuel) by 1.4%. Notably, automotive fuel in specialized stores decreased by 0.7%. Across the EU, food, drinks, and tobacco grew by 0.5%, non-food products by 1.9%, and automotive fuel in specialized outlets saw a modest gain of 0.5%.

These granular insights offer a clearer picture of the evolving dynamics within the retail sector across Europe, underscoring both resilience and regional variability amid an overall positive annual trend.