German retail sales fell sharply in September

According to provisional data from Destatis, turnover in retail trade in September 2020 was in real terms 2.2% and in nominal terms 2.6% (both adjusted for calendar and seasonal influences) lower than in August 2020. Economists had expected a 0.8% decrease in real terms.

In September 2020, the turnover in retail rose by 6.5% (real) and 7.7% (nominal) compared to the same month of the previous year, where the September 2020 had one day of sale more. In comparison to February 2020, the month before the outbreak of Covid 19 in Germany, the turnover in September 2020 was 2.8% higher.

Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco were in real terms 6.8% and 9.6% in nominal terms higher in September 2020 than in September 2019. Turnover in retail sale in supermarkets, self-service department shops and hypermarkets were in real terms 7.0% and in nominal terms 9.7% higher than in the same month last year.

In the non-food retail sector, sales in September 2020 rose in real terms by 6.5% and in nominal terms by 7.0% compared with the same month previous year. The largest increase in turnover compared with the previous year's month in real terms by 21.2% and 22.3% in nominal terms was achieved by the internet and mail order business.