According to estimates of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the 2008 nominal retail turnover in Germany is expected to be between 1.9% and 2.4% larger than in 2007. In real terms however turnover is expected to decrease by between –0.5% and ± 0.0%.

In the first eleven months of 2008 retail turnover was in nominal terms 2.1% larger and in real terms 0.5% smaller compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.

In November 2008 according to provisional data available from seven Länder turnover in retail trade in Germany was in nominal terms 1.8% and in real terms 3.0% smaller than that in November 2007. The number of days open for sale was 25 in November 2008 and 26 in November 2007.

When adjusted for calendar and seasonal variations (CENSUS-X-12-ARIMA), the November turnover was in nominal terms 0.1% and in real terms 0.7% larger than that of October 2008.