Retail turnover in Slovakia recorded a year-on-year decline in February 2025, marking the first decrease since January 2024. According to data from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, retail turnover fell by 2.6% compared to February of the previous year. On a month-to-month basis, after seasonal adjustment, turnover declined by 0.8%. The downturn affected nearly all segments of the retail trade, with eight out of nine components reporting lower turnover. The most significant decreases were seen in fuel sales, which dropped by 9.8%, and in stores selling household goods such as furniture, electronics, and hobby supplies, where turnover fell by 9.5%. Hypermarkets and supermarkets, which represent the largest share of total retail turnover, experienced only a slight decline of 0.4%. A more notable decrease of over 20% was reported in specialized stores offering cultural and recreational goods such as books, sports equipment, and toys. Despite their smaller share in total turnover, this group saw the sharpest decline. The only retail segment to show growth was specialized stores selling textiles, footwear, drugstore items, and pharmaceuticals. These stores recorded a 5.3% year-on-year increase in February, continuing a trend of positive performance since October 2023. Overall, retail turnover in Slovakia decreased by 0.9% during the first two months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. In other areas of internal trade, wholesale was the only component to show growth in February, with turnover increasing by 6.6% at current prices. Meanwhile, turnover declined in the sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles by 9.6%, in accommodation services by 4%, and in food and beverage services by 3.4% (all measured at constant prices). Month-on-month figures showed a mixed performance. After seasonal adjustment, turnover rose in the sale and repair of motor vehicles by 7.1%, in wholesale by 1%, and in accommodation by 6.2%. Conversely, food and beverage services saw a decline of 2.6%. Cumulatively, for the first two months of 2025, wholesale turnover increased by 6%, accommodation services grew by 0.6%, and food and beverage service activities rose by 1% year-on-year. In contrast, turnover in the sale and repair of motor vehicles dropped by 8.4%. Source: Statistical Office of the SR