Retail sales in Greece demonstrated a robust recovery in May 2026, climbing by 6.8% compared to the same period last year. This positive shift follows a 0.3% contraction in April and represents the highest growth recorded since April 2025. The rebound was broad-based, with significant contributions from both food and non-food product categories.
Specifically, sales of non-food items, excluding automotive fuel, saw a substantial increase of 7.7% in May, a notable improvement from the 1.1% decline observed in April. Food sales also accelerated, growing by 7.7% in May, up from 2.9% in the preceding month.
For freight forwarders and supply chain professionals, this retail sales growth in Greece suggests a potential uptick in import volumes, particularly for consumer goods. Increased consumer spending typically translates to higher demand for international shipping and logistics services to replenish inventories. Forwarders should monitor future retail trends in Greece as sustained growth could lead to increased booking activity and potentially impact capacity and rates on routes serving the Greek market.
