Sunday, 7 December 2025
Retail turnover in Slovakia rose slightly in October, marking one of the few months this year in which the sector achieved real year-on-year growth. According to data from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, turnover increased by 0.6% compared with October 2024 after adjusting for inflation.
Four of the nine retail categories reported higher sales than a year earlier. The strongest improvement came from shops selling miscellaneous goods such as drugstore items, cosmetics, medicines and clothing. Turnover in this group grew by 11.3%, continuing a trend of gains seen almost continuously since late 2023.
Specialized outlets for IT and communication equipment also recorded higher sales, up nearly 4% year-on-year. Fuel stations posted a modest 1% increase, as did stores focusing on books, toys and sporting goods. Hypermarkets and supermarkets, which account for the largest share of retail turnover, remained broadly unchanged from last year’s levels.
Several categories experienced declines. Online retailers, including mail-order operations, saw turnover fall by 7.3%. Stores selling household electrical appliances also reported weaker results, down 6.7% compared with October 2024.
After seasonal adjustment, overall retail turnover fell by 0.7% from September. Over the first ten months of 2025, retail turnover remained 0.5% lower than in the same period last year, with the majority of retail segments posting declines.
Other Domestic Trade Components
Outside retail, the picture was mixed. Wholesale turnover rose 4% year-on-year in October, while the sale and repair of motor vehicles fell 1.2%. Accommodation services reported a 5.5% decline, and turnover in food and beverage service activities decreased by 1.3%.
Month-to-month data showed a slight improvement for some sectors: turnover increased by 0.7% in motor vehicle sales and repairs, and by 2.7% in food and beverage service activities. Wholesale fell 1.8% compared with September, and accommodation turnover slipped by 0.5%.
Across the first ten months of 2025, all domestic trade categories except retail recorded year-on-year turnover growth. Motor vehicle sales and repairs increased by 2.2%, wholesale by 5.4%, accommodation by 0.5%, and food and beverage services by 1.4%.
