German retail sales weakened in January 2026, falling 0.9% month-over-month, according to data updated on 2 March 2026. The decline marks a clear reversal from December 2025, when sales posted a modest 0.1% month-on-month increase.
The figures are based on a month-over-month comparison, where the current reading reflects the change in January 2026 versus December 2025, while the previous reading showed the change in December 2025 versus November 2025. The shift from slight growth to contraction suggests that consumer activity in Germany lost momentum at the start of the year after a relatively stable year-end period.
