It goes uphill again: After trading has suffered greatly from the recession in recent years and had to cope with numerous bankruptcies, there are first signs of relaxation. As a study by the Institute of Austria’s economy on behalf of the federal division shows, the industry has grown again in the first half of 2025 in four years.
The sales of all three sectors (retail, wholesale and car industry) rose to around 138.6 billion euros. There was a growth of 1.9 percent – after deducting the price increases, there is a real plus of 0.5 percent.
“After several lean years we finally see a ray of hope,” says Rainer Treelik, Federal Chairman of the Trade Handel division in the Chamber of Commerce. The economic valley sole was probably through.
While wholesale is still a minus of 0.8 percent, retail with plus 1.1 percent is significantly better. There was growth for the shoe trade (plus 7.5), construction and home improvement requirements (plus 6.1) and the flower trade with an increase of five percent. Jewelry and booksellers, sports and toys as well as electrical and furniture retailers were still real in the minus.
Better location in Upper Austria
It is different in Upper Austria: Here the group play and sport is at the top with real growth of 5.2 percent. Market leader Intersport, based in Wels, also feels the upswing: sales per customer have increased significantly in recent months, the company says. Customers would also be increasingly more priced. There are 104 dealers and around 4,000 employees in Austria. The rainy July also did not have a damper, but according to Intersport boss Franz Koll brought a number of sales of six percent compared to the previous year. Outdoor sports items are popular, especially for running and cycling.
There was also a real plus of 4.5 percent in Upper Austria in the areas of electrical, furniture and do -it -yourselfers. Jewelry, textile and shoe retailers came to 2.7 percent. “However, these industries come from a very low level and the positive development represents the losses of the past time,” says Martin Sonntag, chairman of the trade division in the Upper Austria Chamber of Commerce.
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Image: Sabine Kneidinger
Source: Nachrichten
