Czech Retail Sales Growth Eases To 2.8%

(RTTNews) - The Czech Republic's retail sales growth eased in January to the lowest level in nearly a year, data from the Czech Statistical Office showed on Thursday.

Retail sales, except motor vehicles and motorcycles, rose a calendar-adjusted 2.8 percent year-on-year in January, slower than the 5.3 percent increase in the previous month.

Further, this was the weakest rate of growth since February 2024, when sales rose 2.4 percent.

On a monthly basis, retail sales decreased 0.5 percent.

The annual sales growth of food, beverages, and tobacco slowed to 1.5 percent in January from 2.8 percent in December. Similarly, sales of non-food products, except fuel, increased at a slower rate of 3.3 percent versus 6.9 percent growth a month ago.

Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialized stores alone grew 5.4 percent, after rising 7.5 percent a month ago.

Data also showed that retail sales via mail order or the internet rose 6.0 percent, down sharply from a 19.6 percent surge in December.