Prăbușirea consumului se adâncește. Erste: Populația va continua să reducă cheltuielile, iar consumul nu va mai susține economia în 2026

The decline in retail trade in June and the first half of the year signals a shift in Romania's economic paradigm, with consumer spending expected to contract due to high inflation and reduced purchasing power. Data from the National Institute of Statistics shows a 7.3% drop in retail sales in June compared to the previous year, following a 5.2% decrease in May. Economists predict that retail sales will continue to decline through 2026, as real wages fail to keep pace with inflation. While consumer confidence has slightly improved, it is insufficient to reverse the downward trend in consumption, which remains a significant drag on economic growth.