The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) states in a preliminary estimate that real retail sales increased by 1.3% in 2024. The nominal increase is therefore 2.7%. Even after calendar and season adjustment, there is an increase of 1.1% (real) and 2.5% (nominal). In the first half of the year, real retail sales were still 0.4% below the previous year’s level.
Compared to 2021, the year with the highest retail sales since the time series began in 1994, 2024 will end with a real minus of 2.7%. Compared to the pre-Corona year 2019, there is an increase of 2.6%.
In November, which includes the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales days as well as a large part of the Christmas business, there was an increase of 2.5% (real) and 3.5% (nominal) compared to the same month of the previous year.
