Sales figures for April in the retail sector
Germany experiences a setback in retail sales for April 2025, registering a decline of 1.1% (price-adjusted) and 1.2% (nominal) compared to the previous month, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). This downward trend contrasts the 0.9% (real) and 0.9% (nominal) growth recorded in March 2025.
By comparison, sales increased by 2.3% (real) and 3.4% (nominal) in April 2025 when benchmarked against April 2024. The food retail sector exhibited a more modest growth of 0.1% (real) and 0.1% (nominal) in April 2025 compared to March 2025, but saw a 2.3% (real) and 4.9% (nominal) rise compared to April 2024. Conversely, non-food retail sales suffered a reduction of 1.3% (real) and 1.4% (nominal) in April 2025 compared to the previous month, but still reported a 2.6% (real) and 2.9% (nominal) increase compared to April 2024. Online and mail-order sales experienced a contraction of 0.2% (real) and 0.4% (nominal) in April 2025 compared to the previous month, but grew by 14.1% (real) and 13.8% (nominal) year-over-year.
The decline in German retail sales can be linked to a few key factors. These include a dip in consumer confidence, labor market instability, and broader economic challenges. Low consumer sentiment, as indicated by the GfK consumer climate index, likely caused a decrease in spending. The German labor market has shown signs of instability, with unemployment and short-time work utilization on the rise. Additionally, corporate insolvencies have increased due to cost pressures and trade uncertainties.
It is worth noting that the retail sales slump in April 2025 follows a 0.9% increase in March, indicating a possible reversal of the upward trend seen in earlier months. This suggests a fragile consumer recovery in Germany, potentially influenced by prevailing economic concerns.
dts news agency.
The decline in retail sales in Germany for April 2025, as reported by Destatis, raises questions about the financial health of consumers due to several factors such as a dip in consumer confidence, labor market instability, and broader economic challenges. This contrasts the growth seen in April 2024, where food retail sales increased by 2.3% (real) and non-food retail sales reported a 2.6% (real) increase.
