Christmas retail sales continued to pick up steam in the week leading up to the third Sunday in Advent. However, the German Retail Association (HDE) announced that it was not enough for a positive interim conclusion for all retail companies. “After the second Saturday in Advent gave reason for hope, the positive trend continued for many retail companies in the past week,” said HDE CEO Stefan Genth.
According to the HDE survey, a third of retailers were satisfied with developments over the past few days. Business was good in many cases in the food trade (59 percent satisfied), but also in the clothing trade (40 percent satisfied). According to the HDE, the low temperatures should also play a role here, since most people buy winter clothing based on their needs. According to the survey, larger companies again reported good business performance more frequently. For November and December, there is a price-adjusted minus of four percent compared to the previous year. Online trade is also making a real minus for the first time.