German grocery retail sales index, nominal, adjusted
German grocery retail sales index, nominal, adjusted stood at 122.4 in Aug 2026, according to Deutsche Bundesbank. It is one of the indicators in the Retail sales table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1994 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Retail sales table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current prices, 47 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 121.9 | 119.9 | 121.6 | 121.9 | 120.8 | 120.9 | 120.2 | 120.5 | 119.8 | 119.4 | |
| Current prices, 47.11+47.2 Retail trade of groceries (excluding via stalls and markets) | 122.4 | 121.2 | 121.9 | 123.8 | 122.6 | 121 | 122.6 | 124.2 | 122.7 | 121.5 | |
| Current prices, 47.1 Retail sale in non-specialised stores | 122.6 | 121.3 | 122.1 | 123.8 | 122.5 | 121 | 122.6 | 124.3 | 122.9 | 121.6 |
Understanding german grocery retail sales index, nominal, adjusted
Expenditure across both specialized food vendors and general supermarkets is aggregated to create this broad grocery indicator. Unlike niche measures that only track independent butchers or bakers, this composite series deliberately merges those specialty shops with massive non-specialized stores where food and beverages dominate the floor space. It measures absolute turnover at current prices, entirely excluding market stalls, mobile food stands, and the automotive sector. This construction yields a holistic view of the national grocery bill without discounting for food price changes.
By stripping out the varying number of weekends and established seasonal habits—like distinct food purchasing patterns ahead of major public holidays—the adjusted data presents a smoothed trajectory of underlying food demand. Month-on-month analysis on this basis is the standard method for isolating pure changes in consumer grocery habits. Because food is a fundamental, strictly necessary expense, fluctuations in this nominal index are overwhelmingly driven by pricing adjustments rather than vast shifts in the quantity of food consumed. Revisions to early prints are common as the complex amalgamation of small independent returns and large supermarket data is finalized.
Frequently asked questions
- Are cleaning supplies bought at a supermarket included in this grocery index?
- Yes, because the metric includes non-specialized stores where food predominates, the entire checkout receipt, including incidental non-food items, contributes to the turnover.
- Does this metric track food sold by farmers at open-air markets?
- No, retail sales conducted via stalls and markets are explicitly excluded from this specific composite classification.
- How does inflation interact with this broad grocery measure?
- The series utilizes current prices, meaning that shifting agricultural or processing costs passed to the consumer will alter the index independent of actual consumption volumes.