Romania’s retail sales up 11.1% y/y in October
<p>Romania’s retail sales increased in volume terms (comparable prices) by 11.1% y/y in October, marking among the highest growth rates since 2021, according to the statistics office INS.</p>

<p>The seasonally adjusted, non-food sales continued their rally, which resumed in May after the unusual step-like rise in January. From 105%-110% of the average of the year 2021 reported during most of the year 2023, the non-food retail sales hit 129% in October 2024. This resulted in a 19.4% y/y advance witnessing robust consumer confidence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The robust consumer lending (new consumer loans +62% y/y in October, +59% y/y in Q3) and&nbsp;higher wages (+8.7% y/y in real terms during Q3) have visibly both contributed to the surge of the non-food sales.</p>

<p>The food sales, also correlated with the households’ incomes but also depending on the distribution of the rose among categories of incomes, rose more moderately but substantially by 5.8% y/y in October. As of October, the seasonally adjusted food sales were under 112% of the 2021 average.</p>

<p>With an even more moderate 2.8% y/y advance in October, the sales of fuels reached an advance of 7.8% above the average level in 2021.</p>

<p><em>iulian@romania-insider.com</em></p>

<p><em>(Photo source: <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Tero Vesalainen/Dreamstime.com</a>)</em></p>