Malta posts third-strongest retail growth in EU, climbing 6.2% in October – Eurostat

Malta registered one of the strongest annual increases in retail trade volume across the European Union in October 2025, according to new Eurostat figures published on Wednesday.

The calendar-adjusted retail sales index for Malta rose by 6.2 per cent compared to October 2024 – the third-highest increase among all Member States for which data was available. Only Cyprus (+9.9 per cent) and Bulgaria (+7.4 per cent) recorded stronger annual growth.

Eurostat’s update shows that on an annual basis, retail activity across the bloc was supported by growth across all three main product categories:

• Food, drinks and tobacco sales increased by 0.9 per cent in the euro area and 0.5 per cent in the EU.
• Non-food products (excluding automotive fuel) rose by 2.1 per cent in the euro area and 2.4 per cent in the EU.
• Automotive fuel sales posted annual rises of 1.8 per cent in the euro area and 2.6 per cent in the EU.

Malta’s 6.2 per cent surge significantly outpaced these sectoral averages, indicating stronger consumer activity than typically seen across the Union.

By contrast, several Member States saw annual contractions in retail volume, including Luxembourg (-0.8 per cent), Austria (-0.6 per cent) and Belgium (-0.1 per cent).

Retail trade stable month-on-month across the EU

While Malta’s annual performance stood out, the overall EU retail picture in October was more subdued on a monthly basis.

Compared with September 2025:

• Retail trade volume remained stable in both the euro area and the EU.
• Food, drinks and tobacco sales rose by 0.3 per cent in the euro area and 0.4 per cent in the EU.
• Non-food products (excluding automotive fuel) fell by 0.2 per cent in both the euro area and the EU.
• Automotive fuel sales increased by 0.3 per cent in the euro area and 0.5 per cent in the EU.

Monthly results across Member States were mixed. Luxembourg registered the strongest monthly expansion (+3.6 per cent), followed by Estonia (+1.7 per cent) and Croatia (+1.4 per cent). The sharpest declines were seen in Belgium (-1.3 per cent), Austria (-0.6 per cent), and Ireland and Sweden (-0.4 per cent each).

While Eurostat’s release does not detail sector-specific Maltese data, the strong overall increase indicates broad-based consumer spending resilience. Retail operators have consistently highlighted stable footfall, sustained demand for non-food products, and the positive impact of wage growth and population expansion on local consumption patterns.