The month of August saw the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade decreased by 0.2% in the euro area (EA 19) compared to July 2018, and remained static in the European Union (EU 28), according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
However, compared with the same period of 2017, the calendar-adjusted retail sales index increased by 1.8%.
Monthly Comparison
In the euro area, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.6% for automotive fuel and by 0.3% for food, drinks and tobacco, compared to July 2018, while non-food products remained stable.
In the EU28, the retail trade volume increased by 0.5% for non-food products, while automotive fuels fell by 0.9% and food, drinks and tobacco by 0.3%.
Among Member States for which data is available, the largest decreases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Latvia (-1.2%), Poland and France (both -0.7%) and Finland (-0.6%). The biggest increases, meanwhile, were reported in Sweden (+1.2%), Portugal (+1.1%), as well as Ireland, Hungary and Slovenia (all +1.0%).
Annual Comparison
On an annual perspective, compared with August 2017, non-food products increased in the euro area by 2.9%, while food, drinks and tobacco grew by 0.9%, and automotive fuel fell by 0.3%. In the EU28, the retail trade volume increased by 3.5% for non-food products and 1.3% for food, drinks and tobacco, while automotive fuel remained stable.
Among Member States for which data is available, the the highest increase in total retail trade volume were registered in Ireland (+7.9%), Lithuania (+7.4%), Hungary (+6.8%) and Poland (+6.5%).
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Maria Cabecos. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
