Eurozone retail trade volume constant in September

By Muhammed Ali Gurtas

ANKARA

The retail trade volume in the eurozone recorded no monthly change in September, the EU's statistical office announced Wednesday.

"In September 2018 compared with August 2018, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade remained unchanged in the euro area [EA19] and decreased by 0.1 percent in the EU28," Eurostat said.

The figure saw a monthly increase in August -- up 0.3 percent both in the euro area and in the EU28.

The eurozone/euro area or EA19 represents member states that use the single currency -- euro -- while the EU28 includes all member countries of the bloc.

"The volume of retail trade increased by 0.4 percent for food, drinks and tobacco as well as for automotive fuel, while non-food products decreased by 0.5 percent," Eurostat said.

According to the official data, the retail trade volume in the EU28 grew by 0.8 percent for automotive fuels and by 0.1 percent for foods, drinks and tobacco, while the figure for non-food products went down 0.3 percent.

"Among member states for which data are available, the largest increases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Ireland [up 2.9 percent], Latvia [up 1.5 percent] and Estonia [up 1.4 percent]," Eurostat said.

In September, the biggest drops were seen in Portugal (down 1.7 percent), Austria (down 1 percent), as well as in Belgium and the U.K. -- down 0.8 percent in both countries.

Annual figures

Eurostat said the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 0.8 percent in the euro area and by 1.5 percent in the EU28 in September compared with the same month last year.

On a yearly basis, the eurozone retail trade volume rose by 1.1 percent for automotive fuels, by 0.9 percent for food, drinks and tobacco, and by 0.7 percent for non-food products.

"In the EU28, the retail trade volume increased by 2 percent for non-food products, by 1.9 percent for automotive fuel and by 1.0 percent for food, drinks and tobacco," Eurostat said.

The highest annual increase in the index of the volume of retail trade were recorded in Ireland with a 10.2-percent growth, as the largest decline was seen in Belgium with a 2.2-percent fall.