Czech Retail Sales Rise 4.3%: Online Retailers See 15.0% Growth, but Consumer Confidence Falls

In August, the Czech retail sector recorded a 4.3% increase in sales in real terms compared with the same month last year. This was reported by the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) in its flash report dated October 8. Compared to July, sales rose by 0.2%. The figures are preliminary; the office has revised the July figures. Final data for 2026 will be released in March 2027.

Online retailers and non-food sectors drive growth

Online retailers provided the strongest boost: Their sales rose by 15.0%. Jana Gotvaldová, head of the Department of Trade, Transport, and Services Statistics at the ČSÚ, said: “As is traditional, we recorded the highest growth rate among online retailers.” The quote has been translated from Czech.

Non-food sales rose by 7.4%. Clothing and shoe stores led the way with 10.0%. Food sales grew by 3.0%. Gas stations saw a 3.2% decline. The automotive sector also weakened: sales and repairs fell by 2.2%.

The food delivery service Rohlik illustrates just how strongly the online channel is growing. According to the company, consolidated revenue rose by 35% to 1.45 billion euros in the fiscal year ending in April 2026. In its home market of the Czech Republic, Rohlik generated revenue of 21.7 billion Czech korunas, or approximately 900 million euros. In the fourth quarter, the group achieved positive EBITDA for the first time, at around 5 million euros. According to the company, the cosmetics retailer Notino generated 1.76 billion euros in revenue in 2025, an 11.5% increase over 2024. Rohlik founder Tomáš Čupr said in late May: “We can close the chapter in which it was said that Rohlik would never turn a profit.”

Sentiment Is Lagging Behind Sales

Business confidence is declining. The ČSÚ’s composite index fell by 1.6 points to 97.9 in October. Business confidence dropped by 1.8 points to 96.6. In the retail sector, it fell by 1.7 points, and in the industrial sector, by 5.6 points. Consumer confidence lost 0.8 points and stands at 104.3, after rising in September.

Jiří Obst, head of business surveys at the ČSÚ, said: “Insufficient demand is the main factor significantly holding back entrepreneurs.” Anastasija Neradová from the same department reports that households are increasingly concerned about a deterioration in the situation over the next twelve months.

For German exporters, this means that those supplying consumer goods to the Czech Republic should explore the online channel, as it is currently growing the fastest. Industrial suppliers, on the other hand, must expect weaker demand. The ČSÚ will publish new trade data on November 5.

Sources: ČSÚ, Retail – August 2026 (CS); ČSÚ, Economic Surveys – October 2026 (CS); Rohlik Group, Fiscal Year Ending April 2026 (EN)

SK, Frankfurt