Euro zone retail sales rise

Retail sales volumes in both the euro zone and the EU27 rose 0.1 per cent from June to July, according to new data from Eurostat.

This compares with a rise of 0.2 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively from May to June.

The European Union's statistical office said this morning that euro zone retail sales were up by 1.1 per cent from July 2009 to July 2010 while sales in the Eu27 rose 1 per cent.

Overall, total retail trade increased in nine EU member states and declined in ten from June to July. The highest increases were observed in Portugal, Malta and France, and the largest decreases in Romania, Spain and Lithuania.

Sales in the food, drinks and tobacco category were up by 0.3 per cent in the euro zone in July, compared with the preceding month. Sales increased 0.1 per cent in the European Union as a whole.

Non-food sector sales decreased by 0.1 per cent in the euro zone on a month-by-month basis but rose by 0.2 per cent in the EU27.

Between July 2009 and July 2010, sales in the food, drinks and tobacco category rose by 1.4 per cent in the euro zone and by 0.5 per cent. During the same period, sales in the non-food sector rose by 1.8 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively.

The highest retail sales increase on an annual basis were recorded in France, Poland and Finland and the largest decreases in Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria.