2024-07-06 06:16:17
In May 2024, on a monthly basis, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 0.1 percent in both the euro area and the EU, according to data from the European statistics agency Eurostat, published today on its website. In Bulgaria, however, it is decreasing at the third fastest rate in the EU.
In April 2024, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.2 percent in both the euro area and the EU.
In May 2024, on an annual basis, the calendar-adjusted index of retail sales increased by 0.3 percent in the euro area and by 0.6 percent in the EU.
The monthly comparison by retail trade sectors and by Member States shows that in the euro area in May 2024 the volume of retail trade recorded growth in food, beverages, tobacco by 0.7 percent, growth in motor fuels in specialized stores by 0.4 per cent and a drop in non-food goods (excluding motor fuels) by 0.2 per cent.
In the EU, retail sales volumes were up 1.2 per cent for food, drink, tobacco, down 0.4 per cent for non-food (excluding motor fuels) and unchanged for motor fuel in specialist stores .
Among the Member States for which data are available, the highest monthly increases in total retail trade volume were recorded in Denmark – up 2.3 per cent, Lithuania – up 1.8 per cent and Luxembourg – up 1 .7 percent. The largest decrease was observed in Slovakia – a decrease of 1.0 percent, Ireland – a decrease of 0.9 percent, Bulgaria and Malta – both countries recorded a decrease of 0.8 percent. For Bulgaria, this is the first drop for the year, the last one was in December 2023 (from 0.7 percent).
A year-on-year comparison by retail trade sector and by Member State shows that in the euro area in May 2024 the volume of retail trade saw growth in the food, drink, tobacco sector by 0.3 percent, growth in non-food products (excluding automotive fuels) by 0.7 percent, as well as a decline in the automotive fuel sector in specialized stores by 0.6 percent.
In the EU, the volume of retail trade saw growth for food, beverages, tobacco by 0.7 percent, growth for non-food products (excluding motor fuels) by 0.9 percent and a decrease in motor fuels in specialist stores by 0. 8 percent.
Among the Member States for which data are available, the highest annual increases in the total volume of retail trade were recorded in Luxembourg – an increase of 10.4 per cent, Croatia – an increase of 8.4 per cent and Romania – an increase of 6 .5 per cent. For Bulgaria, the data for the month of May 2024 show a growth of 1.6 percent compared to the same period last year.
The biggest drop was observed in Belgium – 5.2 percent, Estonia – a drop of 4.0 percent and Slovenia – a drop of 1.1 percent.