German retail sales unexpectedly fall

Germany’s retail sales shrank 0.6% month-on-month in November 2025, missing market expectations for a 0.2% increase and reversing an upwardly revised 0.3% gain in the previous month.

It was the first monthly decline since August, driven largely by a 1.9% drop in food sales. In contrast, non-food sales edged up 0.3%, while online and mail-order businesses rose 0.9%.

On an annual basis, retail trade increased 1.1%, easing from an upwardly revised 1.6% growth in October. For 2025, retail sales rose 2.4%, according to preliminary estimates.