Retail trade has closed the year 2025 with a positive performance, driven mainly by the increase in demand for fuels and non-food products. According to official data from INSTAT for the fourth quarter of 2025, the sales volume index reached 137.5, marking an expansion of 6.2% compared to the same period of the previous year.

The hydrocarbon sector marked the strongest sales growth. The group of retail trade of fuels in specialized units marked a 7.2% increase in sales volume compared to the end of 2024.

This group has been one of the main pillars of total trade growth, contributing 1.9 percentage points to the overall growth of 6.2%. This increase in the volume of oil and gasoline sales indicates increased transport activity during the last months of the year.

On the other hand, non-food items, which include durable goods such as household appliances, clothing, and industrial products, remain an important part of the growth. This group resulted in the highest impact on the overall indicator, with a contribution of 2.5 percentage points.

Meanwhile, the food, beverages, and tobacco sector, although remaining a basic component of the consumer basket, had a more moderate impact of 1.8 percentage points on the annual change.

Even the short-term dynamics within 2025 show that the market has had continued vitality.

Excluding the hydrocarbon trade, sales volume in other groups increased by 1.6% compared to the third quarter of the year, while fuels themselves saw an increase of 1.1% on a quarterly basis.

Retail trade is the earliest indicator of consumption and economic growth. These data suggest that economic activity in the country has also increased in the last quarter of 2025.