Andorra Retail Sales Drop 4.4% in January 2026 Amid Fuel and Food Declines

Andorra's retail trade sales fell 4.4% year-on-year in January 2026, data from the statistics department show, with sharp drops in fuels and food outweighing slight gains elsewhere. Large commercial surfaces, however, posted 3.8% growth, driven mainly by non-food items.

The Retail Sales Index (IVCD) at current prices showed fuels declining 12.4% year-on-year, attributed to lower oil prices over the prior 12 months, alongside a 5.8% drop in food and a 1.1% rise in other products. Compared to December 2025, unadjusted sales decreased 5%. At constant prices, stripping out inflation, the year-on-year fall widened to 6.5%, with food down 7.4%, other products off 0.9% and fuels 3.5%. Month-on-month at constant prices, overall sales dropped 4%, reflecting an 18.4% plunge in other products despite a 61.3% surge in fuels.

Large surfaces recorded 3.8% year-on-year growth at current prices, with food up 1.7% and non-food products rising 6.2%. Inflation-adjusted, this moderated to 1.4% growth, as food dipped 0.1% and non-food climbed 4.1%. Sales tumbled 32.2% from December, in line with typical post-Christmas patterns.

Employment patterns varied sharply. In large surfaces, jobs rose 0.1% year-on-year but fell 2.8% from December 2025. Women made up 63.4% of staff, their share up 5.2% year-on-year, while men were 36.6%, down 7.9%. Full-time positions accounted for 91.1%, with 8.9% part-time.

Across broader retail trade, employment contracted 4.7% year-on-year and 2.5% month-on-month. Women held 61% of roles, up 9.8% from a year earlier, versus 39% for men, down 12.3%. Full-time work comprised 83.4%, part-time 16.6%.

Access issues at the French border hampered demand after a strong December, which followed weaker September and October tourism. Constant-price figures underscore real volume declines, despite some nominal upticks in large surfaces from pricing effects. February data, potentially more affected by border disruptions, and upcoming March releases will shed light on recovery prospects amid rising living costs.