Brussels, 03/08/2011 (Agence Europe) - In June 2011 compared to May 2011, the volume of retail trade sales rose 0.9% in the euro zone and 0.7% in the EU as a whole. In May, retail trade had dropped by 1.3% in both areas. In June 2011, compared to June 2010, the retail sales index fell 0.4% in the euro zone and 0.2% in the EU27. These initial forecasts were published on Wednesday 3 August 2011 by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
Monthly variations. In June 2011, compared to May 2011, the “food, drinks and tobacco” sector grew by 0.9% in the euro zone and 1.0% in the EU27. The non-food sector grew by 1.0% and 1.2% respectively. Retail trade sales were up in fourteen Member States, fell in six and remained stable in Ireland. The greatest increases were observed in German (+6.3%), Latvia (+3.3%), Sweden (+3.0%) and Austria (+2.4%) and the greatest decreases in Romania (-1.3%) and Belgium (-1.0%).
Annual variations. In June 2011, compared to June 2010, the “food, drinks and tobacco” sector fell by 0.2% in the euro zone and by 1.1% in the EU27. The non-food sector remained stable in the euro zone and rose by 1.0% in the EU27. Retail trade sales fell in twelve Member States and rose in nine. The sharpest decreases were observed in Spain (-8.3%), Romania (-8.2%), Portugal (-5.9%), Belgium (-4.3%) and Malta and Slovakia (-4.2% each), and the largest increases in Luxembourg (+12.4%), Lithuania (+7.1%), Latvia (+5.4%) and France (+4.6%). (L.C./transl.fl)