Poland’s retail sales grew 3.9% year-on-year in July, missing analyst expectations for a 4.5% increase, according to data released Monday by the country’s statistics office.
The July expansion marked a deceleration from the 6.2% annual growth recorded in June. On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 2.2%, up from a 1.4% increase in the prior month.
Sectoral performance showed mixed trends. Sales of motor vehicles and parts advanced 8.1% year-on-year, a slowdown from 9.6% in June. Fuel sales declined 0.2% year-on-year after rising 9.0% in June, reflecting weaker demand. Food, beverages and tobacco grew 1.5% year-on-year, slightly below June’s 1.7% pace.
Pharmaceutical products and cosmetics posted the strongest year-on-year gain at 10.8%, accelerating from 10.2% in June. Clothing and footwear sales fell 1.7% year-on-year, reversing June’s 3.3% increase. Furniture, appliances and electronics sales rose 8.8% year-on-year, down from 14.8% in June, though the monthly gain of 8.6% was the highest among tracked categories.
