Cyprus recorded the strongest retail sales performance in the European Union in May, posting the fastest monthly and annual growth among member states, according to the latest figures released by Eurostat.
Retail trade volume on the island increased by 3.7% compared with April, the highest month-on-month rise in the EU. Compared with May 2025, sales were up 8.4%, also placing Cyprus at the top of the bloc.
The May rebound followed a 0.9% decline in April. Earlier in the year, retail trade fell by 1.2% in January before recovering with increases of 0.7% in February and 0.6% in March. Sales had also risen by 0.6% in December 2025.
Annual growth in Cyprus has remained strong over recent months. Retail trade volume increased by 9% in December, 8.9% in January, 5% in February, 6.1% in March, 2.7% in April and 8.4% in May.
Across the EU, seasonally adjusted retail trade volume rose by 0.5% in May from the previous month, while the increase in the euro area was 0.2%. Both regions had recorded declines in April. Compared with a year earlier, retail sales increased by 1.9% across the EU and 1.6% in the euro area.
