Retail sales in the EU from minus 4.7 to plus 17.7 per cent

Retail sales in the European Union will grow by 5.5 per cent in nominal terms in 2023. In real terms, however, the retail sector recorded a decline in sales due to persistently high consumer prices and the associated reluctance to spend, according to market research company GfK. The highest growth rates within the EU were observed in Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria (+18 per cent), Romania (+14 per cent) and Croatia (+14 per cent), while larger markets such as Spain and Poland also recorded growth rates of more than 12 per cent.