Türkiye’s retail sector posted strong annual growth in April 2026, while overall trade activity showed a mixed and slightly weakening monthly performance, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said in a statement on Tuesday.

Trade sales volume increased by 0.1% year-on-year in April 2026, reflecting modest overall growth in commercial activity compared with the same month last year. However, performance varied significantly across subsectors.

Retail trade continued to be the main driver of growth, with retail sales volume rising by 11.4% annually. In contrast, wholesale trade sales volume declined by 3.3%, while the wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles category fell by 7.6%.

On a monthly basis, overall trade sales volume dropped by 2.7% in April 2026 compared with March, indicating a slowdown in short-term commercial momentum.

Within the sector, retail trade sales volume decreased by 1.7%, while wholesale trade also declined by 3.7%. The wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles segment showed a modest increase of 0.6%.

Despite monthly fluctuations, retail trade remained the strongest-performing segment in annual terms, highlighting continued consumer demand and household spending resilience.

The data suggests that while Türkiye’s broader trade environment is experiencing short-term volatility, the retail sector continues to support overall economic activity through sustained yearly growth.

TurkStat’s figures indicate a divergence between stronger long-term retail performance and weaker wholesale and vehicle-related trade activity, pointing to uneven dynamics across different parts of the trade sector. (ILKHA)