In wholesale trade, sales volume fell 1.2 per cent in May after a 0.6 per cent decline in April. The fall covered almost all subsectors down 2.1 per cent after a 0.1 per cent rise, and household goods, down 1.2 per cent after a 0.3 per cent rise.
France’s trade sales fell 0.9 per cent month on month in May 2026, extending April’s revised 0.2 per cent drop, Insee said.
Wholesale trade led the fall, down 1.2 per cent, with household goods weaker, signalling softer upstream demand for consumer goods.
Retail was near flat; distance selling lifted non-store retail 1.7 per cent, while March-May trade was up 2.1 per cent.
Retail trade was almost unchanged, slipping 0.1 per cent after a 0.5 per cent gain. Sales in non-specialised stores declined 0.6 per cent after rising 2.2 per cent, while retail trade not in stores rose 1.7 per cent after 0.6 per cent growth, driven in particular by distance selling. Specialised stores eased 0.1 per cent after a 0.6 per cent decline.
Over March-May 2026, overall trade sales volume was 2.1 per cent higher than in the same period a year earlier, with wholesale trade up 1.7 per cent, retail trade up 2.1 per cent. Within retail, non-specialised stores rose 3.6 per cent year on year (YoY), retail trade not in stores grew 7.2 per cent and specialised stores increased 0.5 per cent.
April’s monthly change in overall trade sales volume was revised down by 0.1 points to a 0.2 per cent decline after rounding, added the release.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (MS)
