September 2026 retail data showed divergent consumer trends across Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany. Swiss retail turnover rose 1.6% year on year in real terms, slowing from August’s upwardly revised 3.9% increase and marking the smallest gain since March; nominal turnover increased 1%. Food, beverages and tobacco sales fell 0.4%, while non-food sales grew 1.7%, and turnover excluding service stations rose 0.9%. Dutch retail sales increased 2.7% year on year, down from August’s revised 3.8% and the lowest growth since February, while sales volume rose 1.8%. German retail sales fell 2.0% month on month in real terms, marking the fourth decline of 2026, as food sales dropped 1.3%, non-food sales fell 2.4% and online and mail-order sales decreased 2.2%. German annual sales contracted 2.3%, while nominal sales fell 1.5% after calendar and seasonal adjustments. Germany’s Federal Statistical Office introduced a new reporting sample for September and applied the methodology retroactively to January 2026.