05.12.202510:25:56UTC+00Bulgaria Retail Sales Growth at 9-Month High

In October 2025, retail sales in Bulgaria experienced a significant increase of 7.4% compared to the same month the previous year, up from 5.7% observed in September. This marks the strongest growth since January. Notably, sales of non-food products, excluding fuel, surged from 10.6% in September to 12.9% in October. Automotive fuels and lubricants also saw an impressive rise, moving from 4.2% to 7.8%. The textiles, clothing, footwear, and leather goods sectors experienced remarkable growth from 10.2% to 24.0%, while sales of audio, video, computer, and communication equipment rose from 16.2% to 20.8%. However, growth in non-specialized stores decreased to 7.6% from 11.0%, and there was a deceleration in sales of pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics, and toiletries, dropping to 10.3% from 11.7%. Similarly, sales via order, telephone, or internet slowed significantly from 5.1% to 1.4%. In contrast, the trade of food, beverages, and tobacco experienced a slight decline, moving from a growth of 0.3% to a contraction of 0.2%. On a monthly comparison, the retail sector grew by 1%, but this was slower than the upwardly revised 1.3% increase seen the previous month.