Retailers in Austria assessed their economic situation slightly more positively in the first half of 2025. Although the balance of positive and negative business evaluations remains in negative territory at –6 percentage points, this is a significant improvement over previous half-years, according to an analysis by the Institute for Retail, Sales and Marketing (IHaM) at Johannes Kepler University Linz.
In comparison, sentiment was much worse in 2024, with –14 points in the first half and –19 in the second. The last time the retail sector reported positive values was in late 2021. While expectations for the rest of 2025 are still cautious, retailers now see the outlook as “not yet positive, but better than a few months ago,” the report states.
First Signs of a Turning Point
“After a long wait, we’re finally seeing initial signs of a turnaround in retail,” said Ernst Gitterberger, head of the Centre of Retail and Consumer Research at IHaM. “Whether consumers will follow suit or continue to hold back spending remains to be seen, especially given ongoing economic uncertainty in Austria.”
Austria Lags Behind Most of Europe
Compared to other EU countries, Austria remains near the bottom of the list. Out of 25 EU states analyzed, Austria ranks 20th with –6 percentage points—faring better only than Belgium (–9), France (–13), Estonia (–15), and Hungary and Germany (both –23). In contrast, 16 EU countries currently report a positive retail climate, led by Sweden (+18), Czechia (+17), and Bulgaria (+16).
