German e-commerce sales hit by Ukraine war, high prices - industry

BERLIN (Reuters) - E-commerce sales in Germany fell by 6.7% year on year in the six-week period from April 1 to May 16 as the sector grappled with the effects of the war in Ukraine and rising prices, an industry body said on Thursday.

The impact was felt across all shopping clusters with the exception of essential goods, such as food and medicines, which bucked the trend with a 4.1% increase in online sales, the BEVH e-commerce association reported.

The biggest losers during the six-week period included DIY and flowers, which dropped 15.2%; cars, motorbikes and related accessories, down by 14.5% and electronic goods, which sank 14.4%, according to the data.

"We are currently seeing two effects: a normalisation of sales compared to the highs of the previous year and a hit from the war combined with unsettled consumers," said BEVH spokesperson Frank Duessler.

(Reporting by Klaus Lauer; Writing by Rachel More; Editing by Madeline Chambers)