According to provisional data from Destatis, turnover in retail trade in December 2019 was in real terms 0.8% and in nominal terms 1.7% larger than in December 2018. Economists had expected a 5.0% increase in real terms. The number of days open for sale was 24 in December 2019 and in December 2018.

Compared with the previous year, turnover in retail trade was in the whole year 2019 in real terms 2.7% and in nominal terms 3.3% higher than in 2018.

When adjusted for calendar and seasonal variations, the December turnover was in real terms 3.3% and in nominal terms 3.0% lower than in November 2019. Economists had expected a 0.5% decrease in real terms.