Insee
Informations Rapides · 22 April 2026 · n° 94
Informations rapidesIn February 2026, sales volume in trade decreased (-0.2%) Sales volume in wholesale and retail trade - February 2026

In February 2026, the volume of sales in trade decreased by 0.2% over a month, following stability in January.

Informations rapides
No 94
Paru le :Paru le22/04/2026
Prochaine parution le : 21/07/2026 at 08:45 - May 2026
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Note

From this publication onward, the “Informations Rapides” releases on the index of sales in trade are published around 50 days after the end of the month under review, instead of 60 days previously. As a result of this shorter publication delay, the early estimate for retail trade will no longer be released.

In February 2026, the volume of sales in trade decreased by 0.2% over a month, following stability in January.

In February 2026, despite a sharp rebound in the trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, the volume of sales was dragged down by the retail trade and the wholesale trade

In February 2026*, the volume of sales fell back primarily in retail trade except that of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-1.1% after +0.6%). This marked decrease was mainly driven by a contraction in specialised stores (-2.1% after +0.8%), notably due to a drop in the volume of sales in “other goods in specialised stores (pharmacies, clothing shops, shoe shops, etc.)” (-2.2% after +0.4%), a sharp fall in sales of “other household equipment" (-4.8% after +3.6%) and a decrease of automotive fuel sales (-1.2% after +0.6%).

The volume of sales also decreased in wholesale trade except that of motor vehicles and motorcycles (-0.3% after stability). Within this sector, developments were mixed: sales fell back sharply in wholesale trade of agricultural raw materials and live animals (-3.2% after +1.1%) as well as in information and communication equipment (-2.8% after +5.3%). Conversely, they picked up in wholesale trade of household goods (+0.4% after -0.5%) and in wholesale on a fee or contract basis (+0.7% after -1.0%).

Lastly, the volume of sales bounced back in the trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+2.2% after -1.2%), driven by a strong rebound in sales in trade of motor vehicles (+3.4% after -2.0%).

From December 2025 to February 2026, the volume of sales went up by 2.5% compared to the same three months a year before

The cumulative volume of sales of the three months under review (December 2025 to February 2026) in overall trade was 2.5% higher than that of the same period a year earlier. It rose at almost the same pace in the wholesale trade (+2.6%) and in the retail trade (+2.7%). It also increased, though more moderately, in the trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+1.6%).

Within the retail trade, sales increased year on year in specialised stores (+2.7%), in non-specialised stores (+1.9%), as well as in retail trade not in stores (+6.5%).

Sales volume in wholesale trade and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

Sales volume in wholesale trade and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
Motor vehicles and motorcycles - 45 Wholesale - 46 Retail trade - 47 Wholesale and retail trade - G
2026-02 106.0 99.67 107.01 102.69
2026-01 103.75 100.0 108.16 102.89
2025-12 105.05 100.02 107.51 102.89
2025-11 104.74 98.42 107.68 101.99
2025-10 104.68 99.0 107.5 102.26
2025-09 104.99 99.33 106.85 102.3
2025-08 105.38 99.32 106.88 102.36
2025-07 103.78 98.07 106.22 101.23
2025-06 103.0 99.49 106.07 101.89
2025-05 102.27 98.52 106.04 101.23
2025-04 103.67 99.08 105.93 101.71
2025-03 103.3 98.06 105.34 100.91
2025-02 102.67 97.45 105.09 100.39
2025-01 103.07 97.42 104.86 100.36
2024-12 104.0 97.29 104.12 100.2
2024-11 104.17 97.41 104.24 100.33
2024-10 104.71 96.57 103.98 99.86
2024-09 102.87 96.9 104.55 99.95
2024-08 104.11 98.02 105.35 101.0
2024-07 103.32 97.45 102.75 99.81
2024-06 103.86 97.55 101.97 99.72
2024-05 105.28 98.89 102.61 100.86
2024-04 106.33 100.25 102.49 101.75
2024-03 105.0 99.07 102.39 100.86
2024-02 108.35 101.27 103.36 102.86
2024-01 106.62 99.06 102.3 101.06
2023-12 111.28 99.71 102.06 102.01
2023-11 108.27 97.91 102.05 100.56
2023-10 108.97 99.22 100.83 101.05
2023-09 110.07 99.34 100.83 101.27
2023-08 109.34 100.18 99.97 101.4
2023-07 109.26 100.05 102.22 101.96
2023-06 109.55 99.98 101.5 101.75
2023-05 108.6 99.68 100.82 101.26
2023-04 102.78 96.54 99.71 98.33
2023-03 106.33 98.66 101.35 100.51
2023-02 104.23 99.46 101.69 100.77
2023-01 104.78 100.45 101.7 101.42
2022-12 102.21 100.13 102.26 101.04
2022-11 102.13 103.26 102.04 102.75
2022-10 101.19 101.85 102.98 102.09
2022-09 103.24 102.61 104.8 103.33
2022-08 101.58 101.53 102.79 101.9
2022-07 96.25 100.94 101.71 100.51
2022-06 97.0 101.97 103.41 101.69
2022-05 97.35 100.89 103.98 101.29
2022-04 94.51 102.3 103.79 101.64
2022-03 97.83 103.55 103.48 102.73
2022-02 99.15 103.48 103.2 102.79
2022-01 101.26 102.03 102.87 102.17
2021-12 99.8 100.29 103.47 101.15
2021-11 99.95 102.91 102.93 102.5
2021-10 99.43 101.13 102.77 101.37
2021-09 98.97 100.04 101.63 100.35
2021-08 100.15 100.25 101.5 100.6
2021-07 99.23 100.94 101.35 100.82
2021-06 102.16 102.05 101.29 101.84
2021-05 97.87 98.41 99.01 98.5
2021-04 99.38 98.15 92.85 96.78
2021-03 101.52 99.17 98.09 99.18
2021-02 98.89 97.86 97.85 98.01
2021-01 102.64 98.8 97.26 98.89

Sales volume in wholesale trade and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

  • Source: DGFiP, INSEE.

Sales volume in wholesale trade and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

SA-WDA volume, Base year 2021
Sales volume in wholesale trade and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (SA-WDA volume, Base year 2021)
Nace Classification Weight Feb. 2026 Change in %
Jan. 2026/Dec. 2025 Feb. 2026/Jan. 2026 q-o-q(1) y-o-y(2)
G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 10,000 102.7 0.0 -0.2 0.6 2.5
45 Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 1,397 106.0 -1.2 2.2 0.1 1.6
      451 Sale of motor vehicles 901 107.5 -2.0 3.4 0.1 2.2
      452 Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles 103 103.4 0.1 0.3 0.4 1.4
      453 Sale of motor vehicle parts and accessories 363 104.4 0.0 -0.2 0.0 0.6
      454 Sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles and related parts and accessories 30 88.4 2.6 0.4 3.4 -1.8
46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles 5,703 99.7 0.0 -0.3 1.0 2.6
      461 Wholesale on a fee or contract basis 872 91.7 -1.0 0.7 -0.5 -0.4
      462 Agricultural raw materials and live animals 307 106.6 1.1 -3.2 -0.5 14.1
      463 Food, beverages and tobacco 1,046 96.3 0.4 -0.9 1.7 0.9
      464 Household goods 1,129 110.6 -0.5 0.4 1.1 2.7
      465 Information and communication equipment 331 112.8 5.3 -2.8 5.3 8.0
      466 Other machinery, equipment and supplies 748 100.0 -0.1 0.2 0.7 1.8
      467 Other specialised wholesale 1,161 92.2 -1.5 0.1 0.5 2.0
      469 Non specialised wholesale trade 111 99.4 1.6 -1.3 0.9 0.9
47 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles 2,900 107.0 0.6 -1.1 0.2 2.7
      471 Retail sale in non-specialised stores 1,002 103.5 0.2 0.5 0.5 1.9
   472 to 477 Retail sale in specialised stores 1,621 109.4 0.8 -2.1 -0.1 2.7
      472 Food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores 223 100.8 0.0 -0.5 0.1 1.9
      473 Automotive fuel in specialised stores 266 104.0 0.6 -1.2 0.9 2.8
      474 Information and communication equipment in specialised stores 55 128.0 0.7 -1.4 -4.0 5.7
      475 Other household equipment in specialised stores 296 83.0 3.6 -4.8 -1.3 -1.9
      476 Cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores 110 109.8 -0.5 -0.5 0.6 2.4
      477 Other goods in specialised stores 671 124.5 0.4 -2.2 0.2 4.0
   478 and 479 Retail trade not in stores 277 105.6 0.8 -0.3 1.0 6.5
  • (1) Quarter-on-quarter: last three months / previous three months.
  • (2) Year-on-year: last three months / same three months of previous year.
  • Source: DGFiP, INSEE.

Revisions

The monthly percentage change in the overall trade sales volume for January 2026 has not been revised compared with the previous release, and remains stable.

Revision of variationsin percentage points

Revision of variations
Nov. 2025/Oct. 2025 Dec. 2025/Nov. 2025 Jan. 2026/Dec. 2025 Q4 2025/Q3 2025 2025/2024
G Overall trade 0.06 0.05 0.02 0.03 0.02
Raw series 0.02 0.03 0.05 0.03 0.02
SA-WDA parameters 0.04 0.02 -0.03 0.00 0.00
  • How to read: in the “wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles”, the SA-WDA variation between December 2025 and January 2026 is revised by +0.02 points : +0.05 points due to the revisions of raw data and -0.03 points due to the new calculation of the SA-WDA parameters.
  • Source: DGFiP, INSEE.

For more information

* All data are seasonally and working-day adjusted (SA-WDA). In the commentary, percentage changes by sub-sectors are presented, with some exceptions, in descending order of their contribution to the overall percentage change of the index of sales in trade. The contribution of a sub-sector takes into account its weight and the scale of its change.

Next issue: 21 May 2026 at 08:45 am.

Documentation

Index of sales in trade (new base year 2021) (pdf,173 Ko)

Turnover index and Sales volume index in trade

Insee Méthodes n° 143 - June 2023: Turnover indices, indices of services production and volume of sales indices for trade (pdf,2 Mo)

Pour en savoir plus

: bureau-de-presse@insee.fr

Time series: Sales volume in wholesale and retail trade (base 2021)

Time series: Turnover index in wholesale and retail trade (base 2021)

Informations Rapides: Sales volume in wholesale and retail trade

Insee Méthodes n° 143 - June 2023: turnover in industry and construction, index of services production and sales volume in wholesale and retail trade

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