The adjusted data showed growth across most segments. Food retailing, comprising specialized and non-specialized stores, increased by 3.5%. Sales at non-specialized food and beverage stores, which make up more than three-quarters of food retailing, climbed 3.8%, while specialized food, beverage, and tobacco shops saw a smaller rise of 1.3%.
Non-food retail sales grew by 5%, driven largely by strong consumer spending on pharmaceuticals, medical products, and cosmetics, which saw a 10% year-on-year jump. Furniture and electrical goods stores reported more modest growth of 2.8%, while sales at non-specialized manufactured goods stores edged up 0.6%.
Other non-food categories faced declines, however. Textiles, clothing, and footwear shops experienced a drop of 4.7%, second-hand stores fell by 3.1%, and book, computer equipment, and other specialized retailers saw their sales decrease by 2.8%.
Online and mail-order sales, accounting for 8.3% of the total retail volume, increased moderately by 1.5%, continuing a trend of gradual expansion.
Automotive fuel sales remained essentially flat, increasing by only 0.4%, indicating subdued growth in motorist demand.
Meanwhile, stores specializing in motor vehicles, parts, and accessories—which are tracked separately—experienced a 3% decline in turnover from a year earlier.
Overall, Hungary’s total domestic retail sales reached HUF 1,446 billion in February. Half of this turnover was generated by food retailers, with non-food retailing accounting for 35% and automotive fuel sales making up the remaining 15%.
Retail volumes were down slightly, by 0.6%, compared to the previous month.
In the first two months of 2025, retail sales were up 4% compared to the same period last year. Non-food retail posted the strongest growth during this period at 5.3%, followed by food retailing at 4.1%, and fuel retailing, which rose by a modest 1.1%.
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