Romania retail sales plunge 9.1% in January 2026

Business Forum

11 March, 2026 at 4:00 PM

Romania's retail sales volume (excluding automotive and motorcycle trade) dropped 9.1% year-on-year in January 2026 in gross terms, and 6.5% when adjusted for working days and seasonality, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

The gross series decline resulted from decreases in fuel retail sales at specialised stores (-13.8%), non-food product sales (-11.3%), and sales of food products, beverages and tobacco (-3.9%).

The seasonally adjusted indicator showed reductions in non-food product sales (-7.9%), fuel retail sales at specialised stores (-4.8%), and food products, beverages and tobacco sales (-3%).

Compared to the previous month, retail sales volume fell 25.3% in gross terms, driven by declines in non-food products (-27.7%), fuel sales (-26.6%), and food, beverages and tobacco (-21.5%). The seasonally adjusted monthly decline was 3.7%, with non-food products down 5.5%, fuel sales down 5.2%, and food products virtually flat at -0.1%.

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