Retail sales down 0.8% on previous month
In September 2023, the German retail sector recorded a decline in sales of 0.8% compared to the previous month, mainly due to higher prices. However, there was a positive increase of 2.2 percent in food retail.
WIESBADEN - Retail companies in Germany faced a decline in sales in September 2023, according to preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Both price-adjusted (real) sales and non-price-adjusted (nominal) sales fell compared to the previous month of August 2023. Real sales fell by 0.8 percent, while nominal sales fell by 0.7 percent. Compared to September of the previous year (2022), the decline in sales amounted to 4.3% in real terms and 0.6% in nominal terms. These differences between real and nominal results are due to higher retail prices.
Increase in food retail sales
In contrast, the food retail sector experienced growth in September 2023. Compared to the previous month, food retail sales rose by 2.2% in real terms and 2.6% in nominal terms. Compared to the low in December 2022, calendar and seasonally adjusted real sales recorded an increase of 4.7%. Compared to September 2022, real sales fell by 0.5%, while nominal sales rose by 6.0%.
Decline in non-food and online retail
In September 2023, non-food retail and online retail recorded a significant decline in real turnover. In the non-food retail sector, real turnover fell by 3.7% compared to the previous month and by as much as 7.1% compared to the same month last year. At the same time, internet and mail order retail experienced a decline in real turnover of 3.7% compared to the previous month, which corresponds to a decline in turnover of 7.2% compared to September 2022.
It should be noted that the reporting population of reportable legal entities in the retail sector was updated in August 2023. In the process, 1,597 old units were removed from the sample and 4,888 new units were added. These changes took retroactive effect from January 2022. The sampling methodology was also adjusted.
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