Brussels, 04/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - In October 2008, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.8% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU27, compared with the previous month. In October 2008, compared with October 2007, the retail sales index decreased by 2.1% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27.
In October 2008 compared with September 2008, the “food, drinks and tobacco” sector declined by 0.5% in the euro area, but rose by 0.1% in the EU27. The non-food sector decreased by 0.9% and 0.7% respectively. Among the member states for which data are available, total retail trade rose in five, fell in eleven and remained unchanged in Bulgaria and Denmark. The highest increases were in Lithuania (3.5%), Finland (+.1%) and Slovakia (1.2%), and the largest decreases in Spain (2.3%), Latvia (2.2%), Luxembourg and Romania (both 2.1%).
In October 2008, compared with October 2007, retail trade in “food, drinks and tobacco” fell by 2.1% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU27. The non-food sector declined by 2.2% and 0.6% respectively. Total retail trade rose in eight member states and fell in ten. The highest increases were in Romania (9.4%), Poland (5.1%) and Slovakia (4.6%), and the largest decreases in Latvia (14.4%), Estonia (8.5%) and Spain (7.8%). (A.B./transl.rt)