Germany retail sales rose sharply in May

According to provisional data from Destatis, turnover in retail trade in May 2019 was in real terms 4.0% and in nominal terms 4.8% higher than in May 2018. The number of days open for sale was 25 in May 2019 and 24 in May 2018.

Retail trade in food, beverages and tobacco grew by 2.6% in real terms and 3.1% in nominal terms in May 2019 compared with May 2018. Sales in supermarkets and hypermarkets were up 2.9% in real terms and 3.3% in nominal terms on the same month of the previous year. The retail trade in food was up 0.1% in real terms and 1.7% in nominal terms compared with May 2018. 

Non-food retail sales in May 2019 increased 5.1% in real terms and 5.9% in nominal terms compared to the same month of the previous year. Internet and mail order trading recorded the largest increase in sales, with 8.2% in real terms and 8.7% in nominal terms.

Compared with the previous year, turnover in retail trade was in the first five months of 2019 in real terms 2.8% and in nominal terms 3.5% higher than in the corresponding period of the previous year.

When adjusted for calendar and seasonal variations, the May turnover was in real terms 0.6% and in nominal terms 0.4% lower than in April 2019.