Volume of retail trade down by 0.3% in euro area
eurostat has issued a press release to inform in relation with the volume of retail trade in euro area and in EU28 for December 2016.
In December 2016 compared with November 2016, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade fell by 0.3% in the euro area (EA19) and by 0.8% in the EU28, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In November the retail trade volume decreased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the EU28.
In December 2016 compared with December 2015 the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 1.1% in the euro area and by 2.3% in the EU28.
The average retail trade for the year 2016, compared with 2015, rose by 1.8% in the euro area and by 2.8% in the EU28.
Monthly comparison by retail sector and by Member State
The 0.3% decrease in the volume of retail trade in the euro area in December 2016, compared with November 2016, is due to falls of 1.1% for automotive fuel and of 0.4% for “Food, drinks and tobacco”, while non-food products remained stable. In the EU28, the 0.8% decrease in the volume of retail trade is due to falls of 1.0% for non-food products, of 0.8% for automotive fuel and of 0.6% for “Food, drinks and tobacco”.
Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases in the total retail trade volume were observed in Finland (-3.2%), the United Kingdom (-2.8%), Ireland and Sweden (both -2.7%), while the highest increases were registered in Luxembourg (+1.9%), Belgium (+1.1%) and France (+0.8%).
Annual comparison by retail sector and by Member State
The 1.1% increase in the volume of retail trade in the euro area in December 2016, compared with December 2015, is due to rises of 2.1% for non-food products and of 0.7% for “Food, drinks and tobacco”, while automotive fuel fell by 0.9%. In the EU28, the 2.3% increase in retail trade volume is due to rises of 3.3% for non-food products, of 1.4% for “Food, drinks and tobacco” and of 0.3% for automotive fuel.
Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in the total retail trade volume were observed in Luxembourg (+14.7%), Slovenia (+10.1%), Romania (+7.9%) and the United Kingdom (+6.6%), while decreases were observed in Finland (-2.2%), Germany (-1.1%), Denmark and Austria (both -1.0%) as well as Malta (-0.7%).
Geographical information
The euro area (EA19) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.
The European Union (EU28) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Methods and definitions
The index of the volume of retail trade measures the evolution of the turnover in retail trade, adjusted for price changes (deflated), i.e. the evolution of the total amount of goods sold, based on data adjusted for calendar and seasonal effects.
Seasonally adjusted euro area and EU series are calculated by aggregating the seasonally adjusted national data. Eurostat carries out the seasonal adjustment of the data for those countries that do not adjust their data for seasonal effects.
Missing observations from Member States for recent months are estimated for the calculation of the euro area and the EU aggregates.
Revisions and timetable
Data of previous months have been revised compared to those issued in the News Release 3/2017 of 6 January 2017. The monthly percentage change for November 2016 has been revised from -0.4% to -0.6% in the euro area and remains unchanged at -0.1% in the EU28. The annual percentage change has been revised from +2.3% to +2.5% in the euro area and from +3.4% to +3.8% in the EU28.
Source: eurostat
