Eurostat retail trade data for February 2026

According to Eurostat data released on Wednesday, the volume of retail trade in Cyprus increased by 0.8% in February 2026 compared to January 2026, marking one of the highest monthly performances in the EU. Annually, Cyprus recorded a 5% increase in retail trade volume compared to February 2025, although this reflects a deceleration from the 8.9% growth rate seen in January. Across the EU and the eurozone, the calendar-adjusted index grew by 1.7% year-on-year. Seasonally adjusted monthly retail trade volumes decreased by 0.2% in the eurozone and 0.3% in the EU. Sectoral data for the eurozone showed a 0.5% decrease in food, drinks, and tobacco, stability in non-food products, and a 0.7% increase in automotive fuel sales. Member states reporting the largest monthly declines in trade volume included Lithuania (-2.5%), Poland (-2.4%), and Slovenia (-2.0%). Conversely, Malta, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Portugal recorded the highest monthly increases. The data reflects a general slowdown in annual retail growth across the EU and the eurozone compared to previous months.