Retail sales in Cyprus rose by 7.5% year-on-year in May 2026, up from 2.9% in April, marking the fastest pace of growth in four months. Clothing and footwear posted the strongest increase, with sales jumping 19.4% after a 3.8% rise in April. Growth also picked up in several other categories: food in specialised stores grew 1.2% after a 3.3% decline, supermarket sales advanced 7.4% compared with 2.4% previously, household equipment rose 13.3% versus 11.7%, cultural and recreational goods increased 11.3% versus 11.2%, and pharmaceuticals climbed 4.0% compared with 1.8% in April.
By contrast, growth in sales of information and communication equipment eased marginally to 17.6% from 17.7%. Sales of flowers, plants, watches, jewellery, and second-hand goods fell 2.1%, reversing an 8.2% increase in the previous month. Automotive fuel sales remained in contraction, declining 3.8% after a 3.6% drop. Over the first five months of 2026, total retail sales were up 5.9% compared with the same period a year earlier.
