German Retail Sales Plunge Most Since 1980 as Inflation Bites

  • Sales fall nearly 10% from previous year, most since 1980
  • Slump driven by non-essential items such as clothes, furniture

German retail sales plummeted in June as consumers cut spending on non-essential goods to cope with record inflation.

Sales were down 9.8% from the previous year, the most since 1980 — before the country’s reunification. Non-food items such as furniture and household appliances or clothing and shoes registered even steeper declines.