Real retail trade turnover in Croatia increased year-on-year in May 2026, continuing the positive streak that has now lasted for 38 consecutive months.

However, data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics show a different picture when May is compared with April. On a monthly basis, turnover fell in real terms by 2.0%.

According to CBS data, retail trade in May increased in real terms by 0.5% compared with the same month last year, while in the first 5 months of 2026 growth amounted to 2.3% compared with the same period in 2025.

Growth continues, but much more slowly

The main takeaway from the latest CBS release is that year-on-year consumption growth has now continued for the 38th consecutive month. This means that real retail trade turnover, when comparing the same month of one year with the same month of the previous year, remains in positive territory.

Still, growth of 0.5% shows that the pace of consumption is noticeably weaker than in some earlier months. In other words, citizens are still spending more than a year ago, but that growth is no longer strong.

Decline compared with April

When May 2026 is compared with April 2026, the picture is less favorable. Seasonally and calendar-adjusted retail trade turnover fell in real terms by 2.0%.

The largest monthly decline was recorded in trade in food products, where turnover fell by 3.7%. Turnover in trade in non-food products, excluding motor fuels and lubricants, decreased by 3.0%.

On the other hand, retail turnover of motor fuels and lubricants increased by 0.4% on a monthly basis.

Food in positive territory year-on-year

On a yearly basis, turnover in trade in food, beverages, and tobacco products increased in real terms by 1.9%. This is important data because it relates to goods that citizens buy every day and that strongly affect the sense of living standards.

Turnover in trade in non-food products, excluding motor fuels and lubricants, remained at the same level as in May last year. This means there was no real growth in that part of trade.

Fuels fell sharply compared with last year

The largest annual decline was recorded in retail turnover of motor fuels and lubricants. According to the CBS, this turnover fell in real terms by 11.8% in May 2026 compared with May 2025.

This is one of the most pronounced negatives in the published data and is important for the overall picture of trade, although the main retail trade indicator still remained in positive territory.

The first 5 months still in positive territory

Despite the monthly decline in May, data for the period from January to May show that retail trade in Croatia continued to grow.

In the first 5 months of 2026, calendar-adjusted retail trade turnover increased in real terms by 2.3% compared with the same period last year.

This points to the conclusion that consumption in Croatia remains resilient for now, but May showed that growth is not even across all categories.

What do these data mean for citizens?

For citizens, these data mean that overall consumption in the country remains above last year's level, but also that some buyers are probably allocating their money more carefully. Growth in food trade shows that basic consumption is still rising, while stagnation in non-food products may point to caution when purchasing goods that are not everyday necessities.

May thus brings two messages. Croatian consumption is still growing year-on-year, for the 38th consecutive month, but the monthly decline of 2.0% shows that the trend cannot be viewed only through one positive figure. CBS data suggest that consumption remains stable, but considerably more cautious than might be concluded solely from the data on the continuation of annual growth.