Overview

• Retail sales in Germany rose 0.8% in February 2025 compared to January, both in real and nominal terms, according to official data.
• Compared to February 2024, retail sales saw a 4.9% real increase and a 5.9% nominal increase, signaling sustained year-over-year growth.
• Revised January 2025 data revealed stronger-than-expected performance, with real sales up 0.7% and nominal sales up 0.6% compared to December 2024.
• The Handelsverband Deutschland (HDE) maintains its forecast of 2% nominal retail sales growth for 2025, projecting total sales to reach €677 billion.
• Economists express optimism that robust retail performance will positively contribute to Germany's GDP growth in the first quarter of 2025.