Albania sees retail boom in first quarter of 2025

Retail trade in Albania saw a significant increase in sales volume during the first quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from INSTAT.

The sales volume index, adjusted for seasonal factors, reached a value of 107.2, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024, CE Report quotes ATA.

This result indicates an overall improvement in retail activity and a positive trend across several product categories.

In retail trade, including hydrocarbons, sales increased by 13.2% compared to the first quarter of 2024.

Additionally, retail trade in non-food items contributed 2.4 percentage points to the overall increase in sales volume, while food products and beverages contributed 1.4 percentage points.

Sales of food items in supermarkets rose by 2.4 percentage points, while the trade of food, beverages, and tobacco in non-specialized units saw an increase of 1.1 percentage points.

The hydrocarbons group also had a positive impact, contributing 3.2 percentage points to the sales increase.

Even when comparing quarterly periods, a moderate growth of 1.4% was observed in retail trade excluding hydrocarbons.

However, retail trade in hydrocarbons experienced a slight decline of 0.3% compared to the previous quarter.

These data point to a revival in consumption and an overall increase in economic activity, also linked to positive developments in the tourism sector.

A higher tourist influx is associated with increased consumption of goods and services.