Slovakia Retail Sales Drop Most in Over 2 Years

Retail sales in Slovakia fell by 5% year-on-year in December 2025, following a 3.2% drop in the previous month. This marked the second consecutive month of contraction in retail sales, and the sharpest since September 2023, as sales declined further for food, beverages, and tobacco (-19.9% vs -12.6%), non-specialized stores (-2.5% vs 0.6%), and other goods in specialized stores (-2% vs 0.5%). On the other hand, activity increased for ICT equipment (8.8% vs 2.9%), while it decreased at a softer pace for cultural and recreational goods (-6.7% vs -12%) and trade outside stores, stalls, or markets (-14.8% vs -17.5%). Sales also recovered for automotive fuel (4.2% vs -0.6%) and products via stalls and markets (10.5 vs -17.5%). On a monthly basis, retail trade recorded a flat reading in December from a 0.7% drop in the previous two months.