Retail performance across the Baltic states in February 2026 remained positive in annual terms, but underlying consumption patterns continued to diverge.
🇱🇻 Latvia
Latvia reported a 4.3% year-on-year increase in retail turnover. Growth was driven primarily by non-food categories, while food sales remained unchanged. Fuel retail also contributed positively, supporting the overall expansion.
At the same time, short-term dynamics weakened, with retail turnover declining by 1.1% month-on-month.
Data card — Latvia | February 2026
- Total retail: +4.3% y/y
- Food: 0.0%
- Non-food excl. fuel: +6.7%
- Fuel: +6.2%
- Monthly: -1.1% m/m
🇪🇪 Estonia
Estonia recorded a 5% annual increase in retail volume, marking a second consecutive month of growth. However, the structure of this growth differs notably from Latvia.
Food retail volumes declined by 3%, indicating pressure on essential consumption. At the same time, fuel sales surged by 17%, partly reflecting lower fuel prices compared to the previous year. Industrial goods stores also showed solid growth.
On a monthly basis, retail activity dropped by 6%, although seasonally adjusted data suggest relative stability.
Data card — Estonia | February 2026
- Total retail: +5.0% y/y
- Food: -3.0%
- Industrial goods: +8%
- Fuel: +17%
- Monthly: -6% m/m (≈ flat s.a.)
🇱🇹 Lithuania
Lithuania showed more moderate growth, with retail turnover increasing by 2.6% year-on-year. Both food and non-food segments expanded only slightly, suggesting a more cautious consumption pattern.
Month-on-month, retail turnover declined by 2.5%, with decreases observed across most categories, including fuel and non-food goods.
Over the first two months of the year, retail turnover increased by 5.8% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating that the broader trend remains positive despite short-term fluctuations.
Data card — Lithuania | February 2026
- Total retail: +2.6% y/y
- Food: +0.5%
- Non-food: +3.0%
- Fuel: +5.4%
- Monthly: -2.5% m/m
Context
The February data confirm that retail growth across the Baltics remains intact, but increasingly uneven. Essential consumption is either stagnating or contracting in volume terms, while overall growth is supported by non-food segments and fuel-related turnover.
This points to a shift from broad-based recovery toward more selective spending patterns across the region, where households adjust core consumption while maintaining demand in specific categories.