Among EU Member States, Romania posted the highest increase in total retail trade (+19.3 percent) this February, followed by Luxembourg (+18.3 percent), while decreases were observed in Belgium (-2.4 percent), Slovenia (-1.4 percent) and Denmark (-1.0 percent), according to Tuesday estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
In February 2016 compared with January 2016, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 0.2 percent in the euro area (EA19) and fell by 0.1 percent in the EU28. In January retail trade rose by 0.3 percent in the euro area and by 0.7 percent in the EU28. In February 2016 compared with February 2015 the calendar adjusted retail sales index rose by 2.4 percent in the euro area due to rises of 2.9 percent for “Food, drinks and tobacco” and of 1.7 percent for non-food products, while automotive fuel fell by 0.5 percent.
In the EU28, the 3.0 percent increase in retail trade volume is due to rises of 3.2 percent for “Food, drinks and tobacco”, of 2.8 percent for non-food products, while automotive fuel remained stable.
In a monthly comparison, the highest increases in total retail trade were registered in Luxembourg (+4.9 percent) and Portugal (+2.7 percent), while the largest decreases were observed in Poland (-2.9 percent) and Estonia (-2.2 percent).