In 2025, German retail generated a real sales increase of 2.7 % and a nominal rise of 3.8 % compared with 2024. According to preliminary data released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Monday, the first complete real annual figure is 0.3 percentage points higher than the estimate published on 7 January.
The real sales growth in the first half of 2025 was 3.8 % against the same period last year, while the second half added only 1.7 %. The stronger first‑half performance was partly driven by a special effect: a restructuring of a large internet‑ and mail‑order company reported for August 2024 added sales that had not previously been recorded in Germany.
Compared with 2021-when retail achieved its highest annual turnover since the series began in 1994-2025’s overall revenue was slightly lower in real terms (‑0.1 %) but jumped 17.3 % nominally.
Sectoral details:
” “Food retail”: real sales rose 1.1 % and nominal sales grew 3.4 % over the previous year.
” “Non‑food retail”: real growth was 3.7 % and nominal sales increased 4.1 %.
” “E‑commerce and mail‑order”: a real gain of 10.1 % and nominal 10.0 % compared with 2024, again largely due to the aforementioned restructuring.
“Christmas period (December 2025)”
Retail sales were 3.2 % higher in real terms and 3.5 % higher nominally compared with December 2024. When calendar and seasonal adjustments are applied, the increases are 1.5 % real and 1.7 % nominal. Compared with December 2021-when the highest December turnover was recorded-December 2025 sales were 4.0 % lower in real terms (non‑adjusted). In December 2024, sales were 7.0 % lower than in December 2021.
“Monthly progression”
” “December 2025 vs. November 2025”: after calendar‑ and seasonal‑adjustment, real sales edged up 0.1 %, nominal sales fell 0.1 %.
” “November 2025 vs. October 2025” (revised figures): real sales declined 0.5 % (previous provisional figure: -0.6 %) and nominal sales fell 0.9 % (previous provisional figure: -1.1 %).
Detailed month‑over‑month changes for 2025:
” “Food retail”: December sales were 2.5 % higher (real) and 3.5 % higher (nominal) compared with the same month last year; compared with November, they were 1.5 % higher (real) and 1.2 % higher (nominal).
” “Non‑food retail”: December sales were 0.7 % higher (real) and 0.5 % higher (nominal) than the same month last year; versus November, they dropped 1.2 % in real terms and 1.6 % nominally.
” “Internet and mail‑order”: December sales were 2.3 % lower (real) and 3.3 % lower (nominal) compared with the same month last year; month‑on‑month, the decline was 4.2 % (real) and 4.8 % (nominal).
These numbers, drawn from Destatis’s preliminary release, show a modest overall rebound for German retail in 2025, with significant variations across sectors and time periods.