Industrial production in the euro area fell 0.5% in August from July, and output across the wider European Union fell 0.3%, according to first estimates published by Eurostat on October 15. It was the third straight monthly decline for the euro area, with a steep drop in non-durable consumer goods outweighing gains in capital goods.

Compared with August 2025, seasonally and calendar adjusted industrial production was down 1.1% in the euro area and 0.2% in the EU, the statistical office of the European Union said.

Eurostat also revised July lower. The euro area’s monthly change for July is now -0.3%, from a first estimate of -0.1%, and the EU figure is -0.4%, from -0.3%. Eurostat’s monthly series for the euro area shows growth of 0.5% in March and 0.2% in both April and May, followed by declines of 0.1% in June, 0.3% in July and 0.5% in August.

Consumer goods drag, capital goods grow

By main industrial grouping, euro area output of non-durable consumer goods fell 2.7% in August from July. Intermediate goods fell 0.8% and energy fell 0.6%. Capital goods rose 0.4% and durable consumer goods rose 0.2%.

The EU pattern was similar. Non-durable consumer goods fell 2.3%, energy fell 0.5% and intermediate goods fell 0.3%, while capital goods rose 0.7% and durable consumer goods were unchanged.

On an annual basis the split was sharper. Euro area output of non-durable consumer goods was 9.1% lower than in August 2025, and intermediate goods were down 0.4%. Energy output was up 3.1%, capital goods 3.0% and durable consumer goods 0.4%. In the EU, non-durable consumer goods were down 6.7%, while capital goods were up 3.6%, energy 2.4%, durable consumer goods 0.8% and intermediate goods 0.3%.

Country results

Among member states for which data were available, the largest monthly decreases were in Belgium (-5.1%), Ireland (-3.1%) and Portugal (-2.0%). The highest monthly increases were in Sweden (+6.5%), Estonia (+4.3%) and the Netherlands (+2.6%).

Year on year, Ireland recorded the largest decrease at -15.0%, followed by Belgium (-7.1%) and Bulgaria (-5.4%). The Netherlands (+9.8%), Hungary (+8.8%) and Denmark (+8.3%) posted the highest annual increases.

Prices are rising as volumes fall

The output figures followed an October 5 Eurostat release showing industrial producer prices up 1.9% in August from July in both the euro area and the EU. Year on year, producer prices were up 8.2% in the euro area and 8.0% in the EU.

Energy drove most of that increase. Euro area energy producer prices rose 5.6% in the month and 21.0% over the year, while prices for total industry excluding energy rose 0.2% in the month and 3.4% over the year. Prices for intermediate goods were up 6.8% from a year earlier, and prices for non-durable consumer goods were down 0.8%.

Why it matters

For manufacturers and suppliers selling into Europe, the August data point to uneven demand across product types. Capital goods output was still growing month on month and year on year in both the euro area and the EU, while non-durable consumer goods posted the largest declines of any grouping on both measures.

The producer price data add a cost dimension. Euro area industrial output volumes were lower in August than a year earlier while producer prices, led by energy, were 8.2% higher. Eurostat’s releases report the two series separately and do not attribute the fall in output to prices.

What to watch

Eurostat lists November 16 as the date for its next industrial production release, which will cover September and may revise August. The next industrial producer price release is scheduled for November 5.

The caveats

These are first estimates and are subject to revision, as the change to July shows. Eurostat says the euro area and EU aggregates are built from national data, with missing recent observations for member states estimated. The index measures the volume of production for industry excluding construction, covering sections B to D of the NACE Rev. 2 classification, and is adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects. The euro area figures cover 21 countries and the EU figures 27.