Global retail and e-commerce economic trends

The retail and wholesale sectors in Germany and the United States are navigating economic pressures including inflation, debt, and regulatory changes.

In Germany, the wholesale and foreign trade sector has shown signs of a cautious recovery as companies diversify procurement. However, BGA President Dirk Jandura noted that businesses are operating with “the handbrake on” due to labor market uncertainty and bureaucracy, which 82 percent of surveyed companies identified as a burden. While online sales initially showed growth, subsequent data indicated that third-quarter e-commerce growth of 2.9 percent lagged behind the 3.3 percent inflation rate. Additionally, the market share of major Asian platforms like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress fell to 3.1 percent following the removal of the 150-euro customs exemption.

In the United States, retail sales for the holiday season are projected to grow between 4.3 and 4.9 percent. Despite this projection, financial strain is prevalent, with approximately 50 percent of consumers citing personal or household debt as a pressure point and many expressing concern over financing holiday budgets.