Cyprus leads EU retail growth despite December slowdown

Retail sales in Cyprus recorded the strongest annual growth in the European Union in December 2025, even as overall retail trade volumes declined month-on-month across the euro area and the EU, according to Eurostat.

The statistical office of the EU reported that Cyprus posted an annual increase of 8.2 per cent in total retail trade volume in December 2025 compared with December 2024.

This marked the highest annual rise among all member states for which data were available, placing Cyprus ahead of Bulgaria and Luxembourg.

Across the euro area, retail trade volume fell by 0.5 per cent in December 2025 compared with November 2025, following a modest increase of 0.1 per cent in November.

In the EU as a whole, retail trade volume also declined by 0.5 per cent month-on-month in December, after rising by 0.2 per cent in November.

On an annual basis, the calendar-adjusted retail sales index rose by 1.3 per cent in the euro area and by 1.7 per cent in the EU in December 2025.

Despite the weaker monthly performance at the end of the year, the average level of retail trade volume for 2025 increased by 2.3 per cent in both the euro area and the EU compared with 2024.

Within the euro area, monthly data for December 2025 showed that retail volumes for food, drinks and tobacco increased by 0.1 per cent compared with November.

At the same time, non-food products excluding automotive fuel declined by 1.2 per cent in the euro area on a monthly basis.

Retail volumes for automotive fuel in specialised stores remained unchanged in the euro area during December.

In the EU, retail trade volumes for food, drinks and tobacco fell by 0.1 per cent in December compared with the previous month.

Sales of non-food products excluding automotive fuel declined by 0.9 per cent across the EU over the same period.

By contrast, automotive fuel sales in specialised stores increased by 0.1 per cent month-on-month in the EU.

Among member states with available data, the largest monthly declines in total retail trade volume were recorded in Portugal at 3.1 per cent, Sweden at 1.9 per cent and Denmark at 1.6 per cent.

The strongest monthly increases were observed in Luxembourg at 7.0 per cent, Slovakia at 3.1 per cent and Croatia at 1.8 per cent.

Looking at annual developments by retail sector, the euro area recorded a 1.2 per cent increase in food, drinks and tobacco sales in December 2025 compared with a year earlier.

Non-food products excluding automotive fuel rose by 1.6 per cent year-on-year in the euro area.

Sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores increased by 0.9 per cent on an annual basis in the euro area.

Across the EU, annual retail volumes rose by 0.8 per cent for food, drinks and tobacco in December.

Non-food products excluding automotive fuel recorded a stronger annual increase of 2.0 per cent in the EU.

Automotive fuel sales in specialised stores rose by 2.4 per cent year-on-year across the EU.

Among member states, Cyprus led annual growth with an increase of 8.2 per cent, followed by Bulgaria at 7.7 per cent and Luxembourg at 6.2 per cent.

The steepest annual declines were registered in Slovakia at 5.1 per cent, Romania at 2.1 per cent and Estonia at 1.0 per cent.

The data underline Cyprus’ strong retail performance at the end of 2025, contrasting with softer conditions in several other EU economies.