Retail sales down both in EU, euro area in May

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) – The retail trade volume saw declines both in the EU and the euro area in May on a yearly basis, the bloc's statistical authority revealed on Thursday.

In the euro area, the volume of retail trade decreased by 3.5% for food-drinks-tobacco, by 2.2% for automotive fuels, and by 2.1% for non-food products year-on-year in May, according to Eurostat.

In the EU side, the retail trade volume decreased by 3.5% for food, drinks and tobacco, by 2.5% for automotive fuels, and by 2.4% for non-food products.

The largest yearly decreases in the total retail trade volume were seen in Slovenia (minus 13.4%), Hungary (minus 12.3%), and Estonia minus 9.6%).

The highest increases were observed in Spain (7.3%), Greek Cypriot administration (6.1%) and Malta (3.3%), Eurostat said.

On a monthly basis, retail sales decreased by 0.1% in the EU and was unchanged in eurozone in May.