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The volume of retail trade rose 1.7% year-on-year in both raw and calendar-adjusted terms. Seasonally and calendar-adjusted data showed a 0.5% decline compared with June. In the January–July period, sales volumes were up 2.9% compared to the same stretch of 2024.
Calendar-adjusted data for July showed sales volumes increasing by 2.3% in specialized and non-specialized food shops, by 2.9% in non-food outlets, and falling 2.4% at automotive fuel stations.
Within food retailing, which accounted for half of the national turnover, sales climbed 3.4% in non-specialized food and beverages shops, which make up 76% of the segment. Specialized food, beverage and tobacco stores saw volumes fall 1.2%.
Non-food trade, which represented 35% of the market, posted mixed results. Sales rose 5.4% in pharmaceutical, medical goods and cosmetics shops, 3.6% in non-specialized manufactured goods outlets, and 0.9% in furniture and electrical goods stores. Declines were seen in books, computer equipment and other specialized shops (down 0.9%), textiles, clothing and footwear (down 1.2%), and second-hand goods (down 1.6%).
Mail-order and internet retailing, accounting for 8.1% of all sales, expanded by 6.8% year-on-year.
Fuel stations, responsible for 15% of turnover, reported a 2.4% drop in sales. By contrast, sales volumes in motor vehicles and parts stores — which are not included in the retail trade category — surged 17%.
At current prices, domestic retail sales reached HUF 1,739 bln in July. For the January–July period, food sales rose 2.8%, non-food sales increased 4.2%, and automotive fuel sales edged up 0.5% compared to the first seven months of last year.
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