Brussels, 05/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - In April 2008, compared with March 2008, the volume of retail trade1 fell by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU27. In March retail trade fell by 0.9% and 1.1% respectively. In April 2008, compared with April 2007, the retail sales index fell by 2.9% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27. Monthly changes saw trade in the “food, drinks and tobacco” sector decrease by 1.0% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU27. The non food sector fell by 0.5% and 0.2% respectively. Total retail trade rose in nine member states, fell in eight and remained unchanged in Denmark. The highest increases were observed in Lithuania (+4.9%), Latvia (+2.3%) and Poland (+2.2%), and the largest decreases in Sweden (-1.8%), Germany (-1.7%) and Luxembourg (-1.5%). Annual changes in April 2008, compared with April 2007, saw retail trade of the “food, drinks and tobacco” sector fall by 3.4% in the euro area and by 2.0% in the EU27. The non food sector decreased by 2.4% in the euro area, but grew by 0.3% in the EU27. Total retail trade rose in eleven member states and fell in seven. The highest increases were observed in Romania (+18.0%), Lithuania (+14.0%) and Bulgaria (+10.1%), and the largest decreases in Germany (-5.6%), Spain (-3.3%) and Austria (-2.9%).