Retail sales fall 4.8 percent in December
Retail sales growth in Hungary dropped by an annual 4.8 percent in December, falling for the first time since the spring of 2021, data released by the Central Statistical Office (KSH) on Monday show.
Adjusted for calendar year effects, retail sales slipped by 3.9 percent. Adjusted food sales fell by 8.3 percent and non-food sales edged down 0.4 percent, while motor fuel sales rose by 1.3 percent after months of a double-digit growth.
Retail sales had increased by 0.6 percent in the previous two months.
In absolute terms, retail sales came to 1,765 billion forints. Food sales accounted for 48 percent of the total, non-food sales for 38 percent and sales at petrol stations for 14 percent.
A detailed breakdown of the data shows adjusted sales fell at nearly all types of retail businesses, with second-hand shops, clothing and footwear shops, computer shops, pharmacies and petrol stations among the exceptions.
