German retail surprisingly suffered another setback in February.
In a month-on-month comparison, sales fell by 0.6 percent after adjusting for prices (in real terms), as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Tuesday in Wiesbaden. The decline came as a surprise to analysts. They had expected an average increase of 0.3 percent. Sales had already fallen by 1.1 percent in January. Compared to February 2025, sales (real) increased by 0.7 percent
In the non-food retail sector, calendar and seasonally adjusted sales rose by 0.7 percent. Compared to February 2025, a sales increase of (real) 1.1 percent was achieved.
The associated internet and mail order business recorded an increase in sales of (real) 0.6 percent in February 2026 compared to the previous month. Compared to the previous year, an increase of (real) 2.2 percent. (DPA/FashionUnited)
