Brussels, 05/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - According to initial estimates published by Eurostat on Monday 5 September, the volume of retail trade sales was up 0.2% in both the eurozone and the EU27 in July 2011 compared to June 2011. Taken annually (July 2011/July 2010), the sales index was down 0.2% in both areas. In June 2011, compared to the previous month, retail trade grew by 0.7% in the eurozone and by 0.5% in the EU27.
In July 2011, compared to June 2011, the food sector was down 0.4% in the eurozone and 0.3% in the EU. The non-food sector grew by 0.5% and 0.6% respectively. The greatest sales increases were observed in Portugal (+2.5%), Romania (+2.2%), and Latvia (+1.8%), and the greatest decreases in Malta (-3.4%), Finland (-1.9%) and Denmark (-1.7%).
The annual comparison indicates that the food sector fell by 2.0% in the eurozone and by 2.2% in the EU. The non-food sector grew by 1.7% in both zones. The greatest drops in retail trade sales were to be found in Malta (-8.9%), Portugal (-5.3%) and Denmark (-5.1%), and the greatest increases in Luxembourg (+8.3%), Lithuania (+7.8%) and Latvia (+6.4%). (O.L./transl.fl)