Retail trade volume in Romania remained flat in November 2025 compared to the previous month, according to the latest data released by Eurostat. While the local market saw no monthly growth, the annual figures indicate a significant contraction, with Romania recording the largest decrease among EU Member States at -4.6% compared to November 2024.
In the euro area, the volume of retail trade showed mixed results in November 2025. Non-food products, excluding automotive fuel, saw an increase of 0.4%. Conversely, food, drinks, and tobacco decreased by 0.2%, while automotive fuel in specialised stores dipped by 0.1%.
Across the broader EU, the volume remained stable for food, drinks, and tobacco, as well as for automotive fuel. Non-food products mirrored the euro area's growth with a 0.4% rise. Among the Member States with available data, the highest monthly increases were observed in Luxembourg (+5.8%), Portugal (+2.2%), and Denmark (+1.9%). At the other end of the spectrum, the most significant monthly decreases were noted in Croatia (-2.2%), Belgium (-1.6%), and Slovakia (-1.5%).
On an annual basis, the EU retail sector generally showed resilience. In the euro area, the volume of retail trade for non-food products grew by 3.5%, while both the food sector and automotive fuel increased by 1.1%. The EU as a whole saw a 3.6% increase in non-food products and a 2.0% rise in automotive fuel.
Despite this general upward trend in Europe, Romania's annual performance lagged behind. Other nations reporting annual declines included Slovakia (-2.8%), Austria (-2.2%), and Luxembourg (-0.1%).
In contrast, the highest annual growth rates were achieved by Cyprus (+8.5%), Portugal (+6.5%), and Denmark (+6.2%).
