Retail trade in the euro area declined by 0.1% in January compared to December, and the European Union observed an increase of 0.1% in the same month, Eurostat revealed in its report on Thursday. On an annual basis, retail sales advanced by 2% in the Eurozone and by 2.3% in the bloc.
Retail sales volumes for food, drinks, and tobacco saw a monthly increase of 0.3% in the euro area and one of 0.4% in the EU. Meanwhile, sales of non-food products fell by 0.2% in the Eurozone, and by 0.1% in the bloc. Retail sales for automotive fuel in specialized stores slumped by 1.1% in the euro area and by 1% in the EU.
Countries that recorded the largest month-on-month increases were Estonia, where retail sales went up by 4.4%, then Latvia with a 2.8% gain and Portugal with a 2% increase. On the other hand, retail sales in Slovakia and Slovenia declined by 3.5% and 1.9%, respectively.