Retail sales in Slovakia fell by 3.7% year-on-year in January 2026, easing from a 5% decline in December and marking the third consecutive month of contraction. The downturn moderated in several categories, including food, beverages and tobacco (-4.2% vs. -19.9% in December), trade conducted outside stores, stalls or markets (-10.9% vs. -14.8%), and other household equipment sold in specialized stores (-8.9% vs. -9.9%).
At the same time, sales returned to growth in non-specialized stores (0.5% vs. -2.5%) and in cultural and recreational goods (7.9% vs. -6.7%), while growth in ICT equipment accelerated sharply (27% vs. 8.8%).
By contrast, sales of automotive fuel (-4.9% vs. 4.2%) and products sold via stalls and markets (-21.5% vs. 10.5%) moved back into negative territory, reversing the gains recorded in the previous month, and the decline deepened for other goods in specialized stores (-4.2% vs. -2%). On a monthly basis, retail trade fell by 1.2% in January, following a flat reading in December.
