Retail sales in Denmark rose modestly in April 2025, with total turnover increasing by 0.4% compared to March, according to the latest data from Statistics Denmark. The seasonally and price-adjusted growth was driven primarily by strong performance in the "other consumer goods" category, which saw a 1.3% increase. In contrast, sales of food and daily necessities fell by 0.2%, and clothing and related products experienced a more significant decline of 2.9%.
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The report places particular emphasis on the expanding role of e-commerce. From January to April 2025, online retail sales in the "other consumer goods" category were 5.2% higher than the same period in 2024, with internet-based trade accounting for roughly 15% of this category's revenue. Notably, "retail sales were 6.9 percent higher in the first four months of the year compared to the same period in 2024" within the internet-based segment.
The strongest gains in online sales came from clothing, shoes, and leather goods (+11.8%) and electronics and electronic devices (+9.6%). However, not all sub-sectors experienced growth. 'The only industry in the industry group that experienced a decline was online trade in books, office supplies, music, etc., with a decrease of 2.4 percent.'
Statistics Denmark cautions that the "retail trade via the internet" category does not capture all online transactions. Many traditional retailers with physical shops also report substantial e-commerce activity but are classified outside the dedicated internet trade group.
Looking at quarterly trends, retail sales in the February–April 2025 period were 1.1% higher than in the preceding three months. Among the main product groups, "other consumer goods" led with a 1.9% rise, while clothing fell by 1.6%, and food and daily necessities edged up by 0.4%.
In unadjusted annual terms, retail trade increased by 4.9% in April 2025 compared to the same month the previous year. 'Despite overall gains, sales of food and daily groceries saw a mixed picture, with a 4.5 percent increase in April contrasting with earlier declines in the year.'
Statistics Denmark also confirmed that previous estimates remain unchanged. 'In the latest release, the seasonally adjusted retail sales index increased by 0.8 percent from January to February, while it decreased by 0.1 percent from February to March.'
The next update from Statistics Denmark on retail turnover is scheduled for release on 27 June 2025.
More information:
Danmarks Statistik
www.dst.dk