German retail sales fell sharply in April

According to provisional results of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the real (price-adjusted) turnover of all retail enterprises in Germany was 5.5% lower and the nominal (not price-adjusted) turnover was 5.4% lower, on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis, in April 2021 than in March 2021. The federal emergency brake in the second half of April and the Easter business in March 2021 are very likely to have been the main reasons for this development. In March 2021, a strong month-on-month increase in turnover (a calendar and seasonally adjusted real +7.7% and nominal +7.6%) had been recorded.

Compared to the pre - crisis month of February 2020, sales in April 2021 were 0.8% lower in real terms on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to April 2020, retail sales increased by 4.4% in real terms and 5.8% in nominal terms in April 2021.

In April 2021, the retail trade in food, beverages and tobacco decreased by 3.4% in real terms and by 1.6% in nominal terms compared to April 2020. 

There were significant increases in the retail trade with non-food products. Sales in April 2021 were 10.6% higher in real terms and 11.3% higher in nominal terms than in the same month of the previous year. 

The Internet and mail order business recorded an increase in sales of 13.1% in real terms and 13.0% in nominal terms compared to the same month of the previous year.