Retail trade falls by 1.9% - The most pronounced decline among European Union countries
Retail trade in Albania has recorded a significant decline of 1.9% in January 2025, compared to the same period a year earlier. This development reflects a general trend of slowing consumption in the European Union and the euro area, where retail sales volumes have registered slight decreases.
Although inflation in the country has shown signs of stabilization in recent months, high prices of food and basic goods continue to negatively affect citizens' purchasing power. Albanians are spending more on basic products, significantly limiting other purchases, especially on non-food products.
According to data from EUROSTAT, retail trade in the European Union countries fell by an average of -0.2%, while in the euro area the decline was -0.3%. These figures show that Albania experienced a more pronounced contraction in consumption, reflecting deeper domestic economic challenges.
The three countries that recorded the largest declines in retail trade were Slovakia, Lithuania and Cyprus. On the other hand, several EU countries have recorded significant increases in retail trade, such as Slovenia, Hungary and the Netherlands.
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