Volume of retail trade down by 0.1% in euro area

In December 2007, compared to November 2007, the volume of retail trade fell by 0,1% in the euro area (EA13) and remained unchanged in the EU27, in November retail trade fell by 0,7% and 0,3%
respectively, in December 2007, compared with December 2006, the retail sales index fell by 2,0% in the euro area and by 0,1% in the EU27.

The average volume of retail trade index for 2007, compared to 2006, increased by 0.7% in the euro area and by 2.2% in the EU27.

Monthly changes
In December 2007, compared with November 2007, «food, drinks and tobacco» remained unchanged in the euro area and fell by 0.1% in the EU27. The non food sector decreased by 0.1% in
the euro area and remained unchanged in the EU27. Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in seven Member States, fell in ten and remained unchanged in
Finland. The highest increases were observed in Luxembourg ( 4.1%), Sweden ( 1.2%) and Slovakia ( 1.0%), and the largest decreases in Latvia (-2.6%), Portugal (-2.0%) and Belgium (-1.2%).

Annual changes
In December 2007, compared to December 2006, retail trade of «food, drinks and tobacco» fell by 2.0% in the euro area and by 1.4% in the EU27. The non food sector fell by 1.9% in
the euro area but rose by 0.6% in the EU27. Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in eleven Member States, fell in six and remained unchanged in Denmark.
The largest increases were observed in Poland ( 8.0%), Lithuania ( 7.4%), Bulgaria and Slovakia (both 5.2%), and the highest decreases in Belgium (-6.9%), Germany (-6.7%) and Spain (-1.8%).

These first estimates come from Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.