Official figures show that German retail sales gained 0.4% in May from April as shoppers showed some confidence in the German economy.
The figures marked a rebound from a revised 0.5% drop in April. Consumption in Germany has contracted for three quarters running.
On an annual basis, retail sales fell by 2.4%, the Destatis statistics office said, though Germany was in the midst of a recession this time last year.
In the first five months of 2010, sales were down by 1.3% compared with the same period a year earlier, despite a pick-up in economic activity.
Germans are traditionally more inclined to save than to spend, which has frustrated European neighbours who urge Berlin to boost domestic demand and rely less on exports for economic growth.
