06/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - According to Eurostat estimates, the volume of retail sales fell by 0.9% in the euro zone but increased by 1.6% in the EU25 between May 2003 and May 2004. Within the euro zone, sales in the food, beverages and tobacco sector and the non-food sector both fell by 1.1%. In the EU25, the rise per sector is 0.7% and 2.1% respectively. Compared to April 2004, falls concerned both sectors in the euro zone (-0.8% and -1% respectively) and in the EU25 (-0.4% and 0.1% respectively). Among the 9 States for which data is available, in one year the sales index rose in the United Kingdom (+8%), Sweden (+5.4%), and in Spain (+1.2%). It fell in Germany (-1.8%), France (-1.1%) and Portugal (-0.5%).