Informations Rapides ·
21 July 2026 · n° 172
In May 2026, sales volume in trade decreased (-0.9%) Sales volume in wholesale and retail trade - May 2026
In May 2026, the volume of sales in trade decreased by 0.9% over a month, after -0.2% in April.
In May 2026, the volume of sales in trade decreased by 0.9% over a month, after -0.2% in April.
In May 2026, the volume of sales decreased in trade, driven mainly by the wholesale trade and the trade of motor vehicles
In May 2026*, the volume of sales decreased again in wholesale trade except that of motor vehicles and motorcycles, and to a greater extent than in the previous month (-1.2% after -0.6% in April). This decline affected almost all subsectors: sales decreased notably in the wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco (-2.1% after +0.1%), in particular as a result of the downturn in beverage sales, as well as in the wholesale of household goods (-1.2% after +0.3%), due to the sharp downturn in sales of pharmaceutical goods.
The volume of sales in the trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles fell back (-1.0% after +0.2%) after three consecutive months of growth. This decline concerned all subsectors, but is mainly explained by the further decrease in sales of motor vehicle parts and accessories (-1.8% after -1.0%), as well as by the downturn in the sale of motor vehicles (-0.5% after +0.5%).
Lastly, the volume of sales in retail trade except that of motor vehicles and motorcycles was virtually stable (-0.1% after +0.5%). This virtual stability masks contrasting changes: the contraction in sales in non-specialised stores (-0.6% after +2.2%) was offset by the marked acceleration in retail trade not in stores (+1.7% after +0.6%), driven in particular by distance selling. In specialised stores, the volume of sales was virtually stable (-0.1% after -0.6%), the further decrease in automotive fuel sales (-2.0% after -5.6%) being almost entirely offset by the rise in sales in most of the other subsectors.
tableauChanges in sales volumes in trade
| Motor vehicles and motorcycles - 45 | Wholesale - 46 | Retail trade - 47 | Wholesale and retail trade - G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05 | 106.16 | 99.08 | 108.22 | 102.72 |
| 2026-04 | 107.25 | 100.33 | 108.28 | 103.6 |
| 2026-03 | 107.08 | 100.95 | 107.77 | 103.79 |
| 2026-02 | 106.42 | 99.77 | 107.03 | 102.8 |
| 2026-01 | 103.91 | 100.14 | 108.23 | 103.01 |
| 2025-12 | 105.62 | 100.28 | 107.66 | 103.17 |
| 2025-11 | 105.2 | 98.62 | 107.65 | 102.16 |
| 2025-10 | 104.92 | 99.12 | 107.5 | 102.36 |
| 2025-09 | 105.23 | 99.37 | 106.84 | 102.35 |
| 2025-08 | 105.58 | 99.53 | 106.9 | 102.51 |
| 2025-07 | 103.92 | 98.14 | 106.22 | 101.29 |
| 2025-06 | 103.18 | 99.48 | 106.08 | 101.91 |
| 2025-05 | 102.96 | 98.97 | 105.95 | 101.55 |
| 2025-04 | 103.28 | 98.78 | 106.22 | 101.56 |
| 2025-03 | 103.22 | 97.73 | 105.39 | 100.72 |
| 2025-02 | 103.08 | 97.63 | 105.17 | 100.58 |
| 2025-01 | 103.11 | 97.51 | 104.79 | 100.4 |
| 2024-12 | 104.51 | 97.5 | 103.99 | 100.36 |
| 2024-11 | 104.67 | 97.57 | 104.21 | 100.49 |
| 2024-10 | 105.02 | 96.68 | 103.91 | 99.94 |
| 2024-09 | 103.1 | 96.98 | 104.53 | 100.02 |
| 2024-08 | 104.32 | 98.18 | 105.33 | 101.11 |
| 2024-07 | 103.43 | 97.45 | 102.77 | 99.83 |
| 2024-06 | 104.05 | 97.63 | 101.99 | 99.79 |
| 2024-05 | 105.83 | 99.33 | 102.6 | 101.19 |
| 2024-04 | 106.05 | 100.04 | 102.71 | 101.65 |
| 2024-03 | 105.19 | 98.87 | 102.51 | 100.81 |
| 2024-02 | 108.55 | 101.42 | 103.34 | 102.97 |
| 2024-01 | 106.69 | 99.15 | 102.18 | 101.08 |
| 2023-12 | 110.87 | 99.79 | 101.95 | 101.96 |
| 2023-11 | 108.2 | 97.93 | 102.0 | 100.54 |
| 2023-10 | 108.96 | 99.28 | 100.81 | 101.08 |
| 2023-09 | 110.18 | 99.32 | 100.87 | 101.28 |
| 2023-08 | 109.4 | 100.15 | 99.94 | 101.38 |
| 2023-07 | 109.36 | 100.12 | 102.22 | 102.02 |
| 2023-06 | 109.5 | 99.96 | 101.5 | 101.74 |
| 2023-05 | 108.74 | 99.87 | 100.84 | 101.39 |
| 2023-04 | 102.67 | 96.36 | 99.86 | 98.26 |
| 2023-03 | 106.51 | 98.48 | 101.36 | 100.44 |
| 2023-02 | 104.36 | 99.55 | 101.71 | 100.85 |
| 2023-01 | 104.81 | 100.55 | 101.61 | 101.45 |
| 2022-12 | 101.86 | 100.12 | 102.19 | 100.97 |
| 2022-11 | 102.12 | 103.29 | 102.0 | 102.75 |
| 2022-10 | 101.16 | 101.95 | 102.96 | 102.13 |
| 2022-09 | 103.28 | 102.58 | 104.83 | 103.33 |
| 2022-08 | 101.64 | 101.51 | 102.79 | 101.9 |
| 2022-07 | 96.35 | 100.98 | 101.74 | 100.56 |
| 2022-06 | 96.99 | 101.98 | 103.39 | 101.69 |
| 2022-05 | 97.36 | 100.92 | 104.01 | 101.32 |
| 2022-04 | 94.48 | 102.15 | 103.87 | 101.58 |
| 2022-03 | 97.96 | 103.45 | 103.48 | 102.69 |
| 2022-02 | 99.23 | 103.54 | 103.21 | 102.84 |
| 2022-01 | 101.31 | 102.13 | 102.81 | 102.21 |
| 2021-12 | 99.52 | 100.24 | 103.43 | 101.07 |
| 2021-11 | 99.96 | 102.9 | 102.93 | 102.5 |
| 2021-10 | 99.4 | 101.21 | 102.77 | 101.41 |
| 2021-09 | 99.0 | 100.04 | 101.64 | 100.36 |
| 2021-08 | 100.17 | 100.24 | 101.51 | 100.6 |
| 2021-07 | 99.27 | 100.97 | 101.36 | 100.85 |
| 2021-06 | 102.15 | 102.0 | 101.32 | 101.82 |
| 2021-05 | 97.94 | 98.46 | 99.01 | 98.54 |
| 2021-04 | 99.35 | 98.05 | 92.86 | 96.73 |
| 2021-03 | 101.57 | 99.08 | 98.07 | 99.13 |
| 2021-02 | 98.98 | 97.91 | 97.87 | 98.05 |
| 2021-01 | 102.69 | 98.91 | 97.22 | 98.95 |
graphiqueChanges in sales volumes in trade
- Source: DGFiP, INSEE.
From March to May 2026, the volume of sales was up by 2.1% compared to the same three months of the previous year
The volume of sales in overall trade between March and May 2026 was up by 2.1% compared to the same period a year earlier. It rose in wholesale trade (+1.7%), in the retail trade (+2.1%), as well as in the trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+3.6%).
Within the retail trade, sales increased markedly year on year in non-specialised stores (+3.6%), in retail trade not in stores (+7.2%), and more moderately in specialised stores (+0.5%).
tableauSales volume in wholesale trade and retail trade
| Nace Classification | Weight | May 2026 | Change in % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr. 2026/Mar. 2026 | May 2026/Apr. 2026 | q-o-q(1) | y-o-y(2) | |||
| G Wholesale and retail trade | 10,000 | 102.7 | -0.2 | -0.9 | 0.4 | 2.1 |
| 45 Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 1,397 | 106.2 | 0.2 | -1.0 | 1.4 | 3.6 |
| 451 Sale of motor vehicles | 901 | 108.6 | 0.5 | -0.5 | 2.3 | 5.4 |
| 452 Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles | 103 | 104.0 | 0.9 | -1.9 | 1.1 | 3.3 |
| 453 Sale of motor vehicle parts and accessories | 363 | 102.5 | -1.0 | -1.8 | -0.5 | -0.4 |
| 454 Sale, maintenance and repair of motorcycles and related parts and accessories | 30 | 83.6 | -0.2 | -4.1 | -1.4 | -2.4 |
| 46 Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 5,703 | 99.1 | -0.6 | -1.2 | 0.1 | 1.7 |
| 461 Wholesale on a fee or contract basis | 872 | 89.3 | -1.9 | -1.2 | -0.8 | -1.4 |
| 462 Agricultural raw materials and live animals | 307 | 100.2 | -2.8 | -3.0 | -4.9 | -2.2 |
| 463 Food, beverages and tobacco | 1,046 | 93.7 | 0.1 | -2.1 | -1.8 | -0.6 |
| 464 Household goods | 1,129 | 109.4 | 0.3 | -1.2 | -0.4 | 2.0 |
| 465 Information and communication equipment | 331 | 120.1 | 1.0 | -1.2 | 5.1 | 15.5 |
| 466 Other machinery, equipment and supplies | 748 | 100.2 | -1.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | -0.1 |
| 467 Other specialised wholesale | 1,161 | 94.0 | -1.5 | -1.1 | 2.4 | 3.3 |
| 469 Non specialised wholesale trade | 111 | 101.8 | 4.9 | -3.8 | 2.4 | 3.4 |
| 47 Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 2,900 | 108.2 | 0.5 | -0.1 | 0.4 | 2.1 |
| 471 Retail sale in non-specialised stores | 1,002 | 105.8 | 2.2 | -0.6 | 2.1 | 3.6 |
| 472 to 477 Retail sale in specialised stores | 1,621 | 109.6 | -0.6 | -0.1 | -0.7 | 0.5 |
| 472 Food, beverages and tobacco in specialised stores | 223 | 103.4 | 2.5 | 0.3 | -0.2 | 2.4 |
| 473 Automotive fuel in specialised stores | 266 | 93.2 | -5.6 | -2.0 | -6.8 | -8.1 |
| 474 Information and communication equipment in specialised stores | 55 | 131.4 | -2.5 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 2.0 |
| 475 Other household equipment in specialised stores | 296 | 84.5 | -0.7 | -0.1 | -0.4 | -1.7 |
| 476 Cultural and recreation goods in specialised stores | 110 | 111.3 | -1.0 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 |
| 477 Other goods in specialised stores | 671 | 127.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 3.0 |
| 478 and 479 Retail trade not in stores | 277 | 108.5 | 0.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 7.2 |
- (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 April 2026 has been revised downwards by 0.1 points compared to the previous release, and now stands at -0.2% (after rounding).
tableauRevision of variationsin percentage points
| Feb. 2026/Jan. 2026 | Mar. 2026/Feb. 2026 | Apr. 2026/Mar. 2026 | Q1 2026/Q4 2025 | 2025/2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G Overall trade | -0.07 | 0.07 | -0.14 | -0.07 | -0.02 |
| Raw series | -0.03 | -0.02 | -0.07 | -0.11 | -0.02 |
| SA-WDA parameters | -0.04 | 0.09 | -0.07 | 0.04 | 0.00 |
- How to read: In the overall trade sector, the SA-WDA variation between March and April 2026 is revised by -0.14 points : -0.07 points due to the revisions of raw data and -0.07 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 volume of sales. The contribution of a sub-sector takes into account its weight and the scale of its change.
Next issue: 21 August 2026 at 08:45 am.
Pour en savoir plus
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