In December 2010, compared with November 2010, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.6% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.4% in the EU27. In November retail trade decreased by 0.3% and 0.1% respectively.

In December 2010, compared with December 2009, the retail sales index dropped by 0.9% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the EU27.

The average volume of retail trade index for 2010, compared with 2009, rose by 0.7% in both zones.

Monthly changes

In December 2010, compared with November 2010, both “Food, drinks and tobacco” and the non food sector decreased by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU27.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade fell in fourteen, remained stable in Estonia and increased in five. The largest decreases were observed in Malta (-3.4%), Slovenia (-3.3%), Ireland (-3.0%) and Lithuania (-2.6%), and the highest increases in Portugal (+4.7%) and Poland (+2.4%).

Annual changes

In December 2010, compared with December 2009, “Food, drinks and tobacco” dropped by 1.1% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU27. The non food sector decreased by 0.5% in the euro area, but rose by 1.3% in the EU27.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade fell in ten and rose in ten. The largest decreases were observed in Romania (-9.4%), Spain (-5.0%) and Malta (-3.6%), and the highest increases in Poland (+12.4%), Latvia (+8.1%) and Estonia (+7.0%).

These first estimates come from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.