Monthly changes
In October 2008, compared with September 2008, "food, drinks and tobacco" declined by 0.5% in the euro area but rose by 0.1% in the EU27. The non food sector decreased by 0.9% and 0.7% respectively.
Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in five, fell in eleven and remained unchanged in Bulgaria and Denmark. The highest increases were observed in Lithuania (+3.5%), Finland (+2.1%) and Slovakia (+1.2%), and the largest decreases in Spain (-2.3%), Latvia (-2.2%), Luxembourg and Romania (both -2.1%).
Annual changes
In October 2008, compared with October 2007, retail trade of "food, drinks and tobacco" fell by 2.1% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU27. The non food sector declined by 2.2% and 0.6% respectively.
Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in eight and fell in ten. The highest increases were observed in Romania (+9.4%), Poland (+5.1%) and Slovakia (+4.6%), and the largest decreases in Latvia (-14.4%), Estonia (-8.5%) and Spain (-7.8%).
