Brussels, 03/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - In February 2008, compared to January 2008, the volume of retail trade dropped by 0.5% in the euro area (EA15), but increased by 0.3% in the EU27. In January retail trade increased by 0.5% and 0.6% respectively, according to estimates published on Thursday 3 April by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.
In February 2008, compared to January 2008, the food, drink and tobacco sector fell by 0.2% in the euro area but increased by 0.5% in the EU27. The non-food sector fell by 0.8% and 0.1% respectively. Among the Member States for which data were available, retail trade rose in thirteen Member States and fell in three. The biggest increases were observed in Estonia and Luxembourg (+3.2% each), Belgium (+3.1%) and Finland (+2.8%) and the biggest decreases were seen in Germany (-1.6%) and Poland (-0.3%).
Compared with February 2007, in February 2008the food, drink and tobacco sector fell by 0.9% in the euro area but increased by 0.8% in the EU27. The non-food sector fell by 0.4% in the euro area but increased by 2.4% in the EU27. Retail trade increased in fourteen Member States and only fell in Germany (-3.1%) and Spain (-2.6%). The biggest increases were seen in Slovakia (+16.6%), Lithuania (+15.1%), Bulgaria (+11.7%) and Finland (+7.0%). (L.C.)