05.02.202608:27:27UTC+00Slovakia Retail Sales Drop Most in Over 2 Years

Retail sales in Slovakia experienced a 5% decline year-on-year in December 2025, following a 3.2% decrease in November. This was the second consecutive month of contraction in retail sales and the most pronounced drop since September 2023. The downturn was primarily driven by reduced sales in food, beverages, and tobacco, which fell by 19.9% compared to a 12.6% decrease previously. Non-specialized stores saw a decrease of 2.5%, reversing a prior positive of 0.6%, and other goods in specialized stores fell by 2% as opposed to a small growth of 0.5% in the earlier period.

Conversely, there was an uptick in sales for ICT equipment, which grew by 8.8%, improving from the previous 2.9% increase. Cultural and recreational goods experienced a softer decline at 6.7%, compared to a steeper 12% fall earlier, and the decrease in sales for trade outside stores, stalls, or markets eased to 14.8% from a previous 17.5% drop. Sales of automotive fuel rebounded with a 4.2% increase, compared to a 0.6% decline, and sales in stalls and markets improved significantly, showing a 10.5% growth compared to a prior 17.5% decline. On a month-to-month basis, retail trade remained stable in December, after a 0.7% decrease over the two preceding months.