site.btaBulgaria Ranks 2nd in EU in Annual Retail Sales Growth in March 2025, Preliminary Data Show

In March 2025, compared with February 2025, the seasonally adjusted retail trade volume decreased by 0.1% in both the euro area and the EU, according to first estimates from Eurostat. 

In March 2025, compared with March 2024, the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 1.5% in the euro area and by 1.4% in the EU.

Retail sales in Bulgaria in March 2025

In Bulgaria, retail trade volumes in March 2025 were reported to have increased by 5.4% year-on-year. The country ranks second in this indicator among European Union countries.

On a monthly basis, compared to February 2025, retail trade growth in Bulgaria in March was 1.1%.

In February, an annual growth of 2.4% was recorded in retail trade in Bulgaria.

EU retail trade in March 2025 

The volume of retail trade in the EU in March 2025 increased on an annual basis by 0.1% for food, beverages and tobacco, and by 2.7% for other goods. These do not include motor fuels, where retail sales in EU countries increased by 1.7%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the highest annual increases in the total retail trade volume were recorded in Luxembourg (+9.4%), Bulgaria (+5.4%) and Cyprus (+5.0%). The largest decreases were observed in Slovakia (-2.9%), Poland (-1.8%) and Italy (-1.4%).