Retail sales in Greece increased by 6.1% year-on-year in August 2026, up from a downwardly revised 5.1% rise in July. The acceleration was largely driven by a recovery in automotive fuel sales, which grew 4.3% after a 0.3% decline in the previous month. Excluding fuel, retail sales growth held steady at 5.3%.
Food sales advanced 6.8%, compared with 5.6% in July, while growth also strengthened in several key categories: supermarkets (7.3% vs. 5.8%), pharmaceuticals (8.4% vs. 5.9%), and furniture and household equipment (9.9% vs. 8.7%).
In contrast, sales declined in department stores (-1.3% vs. +4.8%) and in clothing and footwear (-0.1% vs. +2.8%). Growth in books, stationery and related products also slowed, easing to 0.9% from 3.1%.
On a monthly basis, seasonally adjusted retail sales rose 0.9% in August, moderating from a 1.4% increase in July.
