German retailers boosted turnover by 1.8 per cent in real terms in January, compared to the same period last year, according to provisional government data released on Wednesday.
In nominal terms, the increase was 3 per cent, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported.
Turnover was also up on the previous month of December, traditionally a busy spell for shoppers getting ready for Christmas.
One explanation for higher demand at the start of 2020 could be the new coronavirus, as consumers worried by the spread of the virus shopped for products such as face masks and hand disinfectant, the HDE trade association said.
A total of 196 people have tested positive for the virus in Germany, according to the latest data from the Robert Koch Institute, a government agency responsible for disease control. The outbreak has spread to all of Germany's 16 states.
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A single purchase
