Retail sales in Czech Republic grow 5.3% year-on-year in August

Retail sales in the Czech Republic, excluding motor vehicle sales and repairs, saw accelerated growth in August, rising by 5.3% year-on-year, according to the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ). This marks a slight increase from July’s revised growth rate of 4.9%. On a month-to-month basis, sales edged up by 0.1%. While vehicle sales and repairs showed a modest 0.3% month-on-month increase, they saw a 0.4% decline compared to the previous year.

This marked the ninth consecutive month of retail sales growth, with the last three months showing a notable acceleration. “Sales rose for both non-food goods and food in August. We also saw higher revenues from fuel retailers and online retailers, which contributed significantly to the overall growth,” explained Jana Gotvaldová, head of the statistics department for trade, transport, and services at the CZSO.

Fuel sales saw the highest jump, up 9.3% year-on-year, followed by non-food goods sales, which grew by 7.2%, and food sales, which increased by 1.6%. E-commerce and mail-order stores saw impressive growth, with revenues increasing by 16.1%. Non-specialized stores focusing on non-food goods reported a 16.8% rise, while grocery-centered non-specialized stores experienced a more modest 2% increase.

Certain sectors posted significant gains, including specialized stores selling cosmetic and toiletry products, which recorded a 14% year-on-year increase. Pharmaceutical and medical goods stores saw sales grow by 7%, while computer and communication equipment stores posted a 4.6% rise. Household product stores grew by 4.3%, and clothing and footwear sales were up by 2.1%.

However, not all sectors experienced growth. Sales in stores focused on cultural, sports, and recreational products fell by 0.6% compared to August 2023, and specialized grocery stores reported a 2% decline.

Month-on-month, fuel sales increased by 2.1%, while non-food goods sales grew by 0.6%. However, food sales saw a slight dip, falling by 1.2%.

Source: ČSÚ and CTK