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Photo: Stella Ivanova
Retail trade in Bulgaria continued its strong momentum at the end of 2025, standing out among European Union countries as one of the top performers, according to Eurostat data. While retail sales in both the euro area and the broader EU fell by 0.5% in December compared to November - after modest increases of 0.1% and 0.2% in the previous month - Bulgaria recorded a solid 1.6% rise in monthly retail sales, marking the fifth consecutive month of growth. Only Luxembourg (7.0%), Slovakia (3.1%), and Croatia (1.8%) reported higher month-on-month increases in December.
Consumer patterns in the euro area and EU showed mixed results. Food, drink, and tobacco purchases edged up slightly by 0.1% in the eurozone, while declining by 0.1% across the EU. Sales of non-food products dropped by 1.2% and 0.9% respectively, and automotive fuel sales remained largely unchanged.
On an annual basis, Bulgaria’s retail sales growth accelerated sharply. Compared to December 2024, Bulgaria posted a 7.7% increase, up from a 3.1% rise in November, making it the strongest annual growth rate in the country since January 2025. By comparison, retail sales across the euro area increased by 1.3% and by 1.7% across the EU, after November figures of 2.4% and 2.5% respectively. Only Cyprus reported higher year-on-year growth at 8.2% in December, placing Bulgaria firmly among the EU leaders in retail performance as 2025 closed.
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