Steiermark trade sees real sales fall 1.2 percent

Trade in Styria generated 18.2 billion euros in sales in the first half of 2026, but the sector’s inflation-adjusted revenue fell 1.2 percent from the previous year, ORF reported. The nominal increase was 1.7 percent.

Peter Voithofer of the Institute for Austria’s Economy said the decline in sales volume showed that people in Styria were buying less. Many retailers therefore needed to focus more closely on costs to keep fixed expenses under control, he said.

The wholesale sector faced the greatest pressure, recording a real decline of 2.5 percent. Wholesale involves selling goods to other businesses rather than directly to consumers.

Retail sales were also slightly below the previous year, while the automotive sector performed better. Within retail, sales of toys and sporting goods increased, while watches and jewellery recorded a significant decline.

“Talk of a crisis may be exaggerated, but the situation is definitely very tense,” said Gerhard Wohlmuth, head of the trade division at the Chamber of Commerce. Many businesses were experiencing liquidity problems, he said.

Unemployment in the trade sector rose by 6.5 percent. Voithofer said he did not expect a significant recovery in the second half of the year, citing the general economic conditions. He predicted that activity would continue at a comparatively low level.

Wohlmuth called for better conditions for businesses and criticised the European Union’s packaging regulation. The regulation was intended to make transport and exports within the EU easier, he said, but had instead created additional difficulties.