Brussels, 03/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - In August 2007, the volume of retail sales rose 0.1% in the eurozone and 0.3% in the EU27 on July 2007, when it rose 0.4% and 0.3% respectively. Compared with August 2006, retail sales rose 1.0% in the eurozone and 2.6% in the EU27.
Compared with July 2007, retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco rose 0.2% in the eurozone and 0.8% in the EU27 in August 2007. Sales in the non-food sector fell 0.1% in the eurozone and remained unchanged in the EU27. Retail trade rose in 11 member states and fell in six. The biggest increases were recorded in Lithuania (3.5%), Belgium (3.1%) and Austria (2.5%) and the biggest falls in Luxembourg (-2.0%), Denmark (-1.5%) and Germany (-1.4%).
Compared with August 2006, retail sales of food, drinks and tobacco rose by 0.7% in the eurozone and 1.5% in the EU27, while sales in the non-food sector rose by 1.0% and 3.3% respectively. Retail sales increased in 16 member states and fell in just one member state, Germany (-2.9%). The biggest increases were recorded in Latvia (19.1%), Poland (14.1%), Lithuania (13.2%) and Estonia (12.0%). (ab)