Romania\u2019s 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>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The robust consumer lending (new consumer loans +62% y\/y in October, +59% y\/y in Q3) and\u00a0higher wages (+8.7% y\/y in real terms during Q3) have visibly both contributed to the surge of the non-food sales.<\/p>\n
The food sales, also correlated with the households\u2019 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>\n
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>\n