Germany’s Retail Trade Sees Positive Growth in 2024

According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), Germany’s retail trade has demonstrated resilience in 2024, with a 1.3% increase in real (price-adjusted) turnover and a 2.7% rise in sales compared to 2023. The second half of 2024 saw a strong recovery, with an estimated 3.0% increase in real sales after a slight dip of 0.4% in the first half of the year.

However, retail sales in 2024 are expected to be 2.7% lower than in 2021, the year the sector recorded its highest turnover since data collection began in 1994. Despite the challenges of high inflation and price increases, 2024 sales still surpass the pre-COVID levels of 2019, with real sales estimated to be 2.6% higher than that year.

Germany’s Retail Trade Sees Positive Growth in 2024 Despite Challenges

The Christmas shopping season also experienced growth, as November 2024 saw a 2.5% increase in real sales compared to the same month in 2023, marking a positive trend for retail companies. Special promotions, especially during “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday,” continue to push more holiday shopping into November, benefiting both online and brick-and-mortar retailers. Despite this, November saw a slight decline in turnover compared to October 2024, down by 0.6% when adjusted for seasonal and calendar effects.

Retail sales in the food sector showed significant growth towards the end of the year, with a 1.7% increase in real terms in November compared to the same month in 2023. Sales in the non-food sector also rose, with a 2.3% real increase in November 2024. However, non-food sales experienced a slight decline of 1.8% in real terms compared to October 2024.

Overall, 2024 has seen the retail trade in Germany recover from previous years, with a strong end-of-year performance in both food and non-food sectors, driven in part by the rise of online shopping.

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