Czech Retail Sales Rise 4.1% in September: Online Sales Increase by 14.5%

In September, the Czech retail sector posted a 4.1% increase in sales in real terms compared with a year earlier. This was reported by the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) on November 5. The figure excludes motor vehicles and is adjusted for price and calendar effects. Compared to August, sales rose by 0.1%.

ČSÚ summarizes the situation in a single sentence. Translated from Czech, it reads: “Retail sales rose by 4.1% in real terms year-over-year in September and by 0.1% month-over-month.” The motor vehicle sector performed more weakly. Its sales fell by 1.6% year-over-year and rose by 0.2% compared to the previous month.

Online retail and non-food goods drive growth

The biggest boost comes from non-food goods. Non-food retail sales rose 7.3% year-over-year. Mail-order and online retail grew by 14.5%, making it the strongest segment. Jana Gotvaldová heads the Department of Trade, Transportation, and Services Statistics at ČSÚ. According to the industry service IndexBox, she cites online retail as the fastest-growing segment.

Food sales rose by 2.7%. Non-specialized stores, where food, beverages, and tobacco predominate, saw a 2.9% increase. Pharmacies and retailers of medical goods grew by 6.6%. Fuel sales, on the other hand, fell by 4.5%.

The picture for August is more subdued, on a seasonally adjusted basis. Non-food sales rose by 0.3%, food sales remained unchanged, and fuel sales fell by 0.6%. All non-food categories grew. The figures are preliminary. ČSÚ will publish the next data on December 8.

Rising cost of living dampens the outlook

The English-language newspaper Expats.cz points to higher living costs, which are clouding the outlook. Miroslav Novák, an analyst at the financial brokerage Citfin, expects growth of 3.5 to 4% for 2026. The September figure is at the upper end of this range. This growth thus stems from increased consumer spending power, not from a surge in goods prices: ČSÚ calculates figures in constant prices.

For German exporters, this implies a clear strategic focus. Those supplying non-food goods to the Czech Republic will find demand in online retail. Suppliers of electronics, household goods, and fashion should supply mail-order companies and marketplaces, not just retail chains. Food exporters will benefit only moderately, at 2.7%. Automotive suppliers and fuel retailers are facing a shrinking market.

Sources: ČSÚ (CS), IndexBox (EN), Expats.cz (EN)

SK, Frankfurt