06/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - In May 2006, compared to just one year earlier, the volume of retail trade increased by 0.8% in the euro zone and by 2.2% in the EU25. Compared to April 2006, the sales index fell by 0.6% and 0.1% respectively. At an annual rate, the food, drink and tobacco sector fell by 0.6% in the euro zone, but increased by 0.6% in the EU25, whereas, in the non-food sector, it went up by 2,0% and 3.7% in the euro zone and the EU25 respectively. Sales were up especially in Latvia (+20.8%), Estonia (+19.9%), Sweden (+12.0%), Slovakia (+9.6%) and Poland (+6.0%) but were down in Germany (-2.0%) and Austria (-0.1%). At a monthly rate, the food, drink and tobacco sector was down 0.8% in the euro zone and 0.4% in the EU25, while, in the non-food sector, it fell 0.4% in the euro zone but went up by 0.3% in the EU25. The strongest increase was recorded in Luxembourg (+3.4%), while falls were noted in Germany (-2.2%), Poland (-2.0%), Austria (-1.6%), Slovenia (-1.1%), Belgium (-0.4%) and Finland (-0.1%).