Retail trade volume down by 0.2% in both euro area and EU28
In September 2016 compared with August 2016, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade fell by 0.2 % in both the Euro Area (EA19) and the EU28, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In August the retail trade volume decreased by 0.2 % in the euro area and by 0.1 % in the EU28
In September 2016 compared with September 2015 the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 1.1 % in the euro area and by 2.2 % in the EU28.
Monthly comparison by retail sector and by Member State
The 0.2 % decrease in the volume of retail trade in the euro area in September 2016, compared with August 2016, is due to falls of 1.0 % for non-food products and of 0.3 % for automotive fuel, while “Food, drinks and tobacco” rose by 0.6 %. In the EU28, the 0.2 % decrease in the volume of retail trade is due to a fall of 0.7 % for non-food products, while automotive fuel remained stable and “Food, drinks and tobacco” rose by 0.5 %.
Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Portugal (-2.1 %), Slovenia (-1.7 %) and Germany (-1.4 %), while the highest increases were observed in Estonia (+1.5 %), Finland (+1.1 %), Denmark and Poland (both +0.7 %).
Annual comparison by retail sector and by Member State
The 1.1 % increase in the volume of retail trade in the euro area in September 2016, compared with September 2015, is due to rises of 1.8 % for “Food, drinks and tobacco”, of 1.5 % for automotive fuel and of 0.4 % for non-food products. In the EU28, the 2.2 % increase in retail trade volume is due to rises of 3.1 % for automotive fuel, of 2.1 % for “Food, drinks and tobacco” and of 1.9 % for non-food products.
Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in the total retail trade volume were observed in Luxembourg (+15.2 %), Romania (+9.7 %) and Poland (+8.6 %), while decreases were observed in Belgium (-3.2 %), Germany (-0.4 %) and Slovenia (-0.1 %).