Retailers in the Czech Republic are experiencing a pre-Christmas shopping surge, with sales growing across food and consumer goods sectors.
Consumers are spending more freely this year, and the result is higher retailer incomes compared to 2023. While official statistics will be released after the New Year, retail chains are already reporting significant revenue increases. In 2023, retailers earned about 10% more than in the previous year.
“Compared to last year, sales in November grew slightly,” said Tesco spokeswoman Iva Pavluskova. December figures have yet to be published.
Penny Market stores are also seeing higher sales than in 2023. “We are noticing that many people are buying more items in advance,” said media representative Martina Dvorzakova.
At Kaufland, sales remain on par with the same period last year, according to spokesperson Renata Meyer.
The online shopping scene is thriving as well. Alza.cz spokesperson Eliška Čeržovská reported that shoppers are planning to spend an average of over 10,000 CZK on Christmas gifts, up from the range of 5,000 to 10,000 CZK in 2023. Official statistics show that retail sales grew by 5.5% year-on-year in October. Analysts attribute this growth to low inflation, which has allowed wage growth to outpace inflation, empowering consumers to make more purchases with their real income.
