Finance
German retail sales fall unexpectedly in November
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 24, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
Quick Summary
German retail sales dropped by 0.6% in November, contrary to expectations of a boost from Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Analysts had predicted a 0.5% increase.
Unexpected Decline in German Retail Sales for November
(Reuters) - German retail sales fell unexpectedly in November, data showed on Wednesday, despite hopes for a boost from pre-Christmas promotions like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Retail sales declined by 0.6% in real terms compared with the previous month, the federal statistics office reported.
Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted a 0.5% increase.
According to an annual estimate given by the statistics office, the retail sector in Germany generated 1.3 % more sales in real terms in 2024 than in 2023.
Real sales in 2024 are expected to be 2.6% above the pre-pandemic level of 2019, the office said.
(Reporting by Isabel Demetz in Gdansk and Maria Martinez in Berlin, editing by Thomas Seythal)
Key Takeaways
- •German retail sales fell by 0.6% in November.
- •Analysts expected a 0.5% increase in sales.
- •Pre-Christmas promotions failed to boost sales.
- •2024 sales are projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels.
- •Retail sector saw a 1.3% increase in 2024 over 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions about German retail sales fall unexpectedly in November
1What is the main topic?
The article discusses the unexpected decline in German retail sales in November despite pre-Christmas promotions.
2What was the expected sales change?
Analysts had predicted a 0.5% increase in retail sales for November.
3How did 2024 sales compare to previous years?
Sales in 2024 are expected to be 2.6% above the pre-pandemic level of 2019.
