Germany’s retail sector continued to struggle in July 2026, with sales falling further month-over-month and signaling persistent pressure on consumer demand. According to the latest data updated on 1 September 2026, retail sales declined by 3.4% in July compared with the previous month.
This marks a sharp deterioration from June 2026, when retail sales had already dropped by 1.1% month-over-month. Both figures are calculated as changes relative to the immediately preceding month, underlining that the downturn has intensified rather than stabilized over the summer.
The back-to-back declines highlight a challenging environment for German retailers, as the sector moves deeper into negative territory on a monthly basis. Investors and policymakers will be watching upcoming data closely to assess whether this weakness in consumer spending persists into the second half of the year.
