Stats: Retail Sales Fall 3.7% Y-o-y in January

Bratislava, 5 March (TASR) - Retail sales in Slovakia in January 2026, adjusted for the impact of inflation, fell by 3.7 percent year-on-year, marking the third consecutive month of annual decline, the Statistics Office reported on Thursday. After seasonal adjustment, retail sales fell by 1.2 percent month-on-month compared with December 2025. Six out of nine categories of retail trade recorded lower sales than at the beginning of last year. The unfavourable result was mainly driven by a sharper drop in sales in e-shops and mail-order businesses, which declined by 10.9 percent. Several specialised stores also recorded a year-on-year decrease in sales ranging from 4 percent to 9 percent. These included outlets selling other goods - such as drugstores, pharmacies, textile and footwear shops, and some fuel retailers - as well as stores selling household goods, including DIY chains with domestic electrical appliances and furniture stores. Petrol stations and specialised stores selling food, beverages and tobacco also saw lower sales. In contrast, specialised stores selling PCs and IT equipment recorded strong growth compared with January last year, with sales rising by as much as 27 percent. Stores focused on culture and recreation goods - for example books, sporting goods or toys - also reported an increase in sales of 7.9 percent. Non-specialised hypermarkets and supermarkets, which have long generated around 40 percent of total retail sales, achieved only a slightly better result than a year earlier. The accommodation sector recorded a year-on-year increase in sales in constant prices of more than one quarter, while restaurants and pubs posted a modest rise of just over 1 percent. By contrast, sales and repair of motor vehicles recorded revenues about one tenth lower than a year ago. Wholesale revenues at current prices were unchanged compared with last year. After seasonal adjustment, in month-on-month comparison only the accommodation sector saw an increase in sales, rising by more than 14 percent. Other retail components recorded declines, including motor vehicle sales and repair by more than one quarter, wholesale by around 9 percent, and restaurants and pubs by almost 5 percent. mf