Brussels, 05/08/2008 (Agence Europe) - In June 2008, the volume of retail sales fell by 0.6% in the eurozone and 1.0% in the EU27 compared with May 2008, when it rose by 0.5% and 0.9% respectively. Compared with June 2008, retail sales fell by 3.1% in the eurozone and 1.1% in the EU27.
In June 2008 compared with May 2008, sales of food, drinks and tobacco feel by 0.4% in the eurozone and 1.1% in the EU27, with sales in the non-food sector falling by 0.6% and 0.9% respectively. Retail sales rose in four Member States, fell in thirteen and remained unchanged in Denmark. The biggest rises were recorded in Romania (4.1%) and Sweden (1.7%) and the biggest falls in Austria (-4.1%), Lithuania (-2.8%), Portugal (-2.3%) and Latvia (-2.2%).
Annually, sales of food, drink and tobacco feel by 4.4% in the eurozone and 2.4% in the EU27, while the non-food sector feel by 2.2% and 0.1% respectively. Retail sales rose in nine Member States, particularly in Romania (23.3%), Slovenia (5.7%) and Poland (5.2%). Retail sales fell in nine Member States, including Latvia (-8.3%), Spain (-7.7%) and Estonia (-7.2%). (A.B. transl fl)