February 5, 2018

The index of the volume of retail trade, one of the many matrices used to check the impulse of consumer purchase, has declined in December 2017 compared with November 2017, as reported by Eurostat. The index measures the evolution of the turnover in retail trade.  The statistical office of the European Union reported that the volume of retail trade decreased in December by 1.1% for the euro area (EA19) and by 1.0% for the EU28. This compares to an increase in November 2017 by 2% in the euro area and by 2.1% in the EU28. Year over year (December 2017 compared with December 2016), retail sales index increased by 1.9% in the euro area and by 2.4% in the EU28.

Monthly comparison by retail sector and by Member State

The 1.1% decrease in the volume of retail trade in the euro area in December 2017, compared with November 2017, is due to falls of 1.5% for automotive fuel, of 1.2% for non-food products and of 0.7% for “Food, drinks and tobacco”. In the EU28, the 1.0% decrease in the volume of retail trade is due to falls of 1.1% for non-food products and of 0.7% for both “Food, drinks and tobacco” and automotive fuel.

Among Member States for which data are available, the largest decreases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Luxembourg (-6.2%), Ireland (-2.7%) and Slovenia (-2.3%), while the highest increases were observed in Malta (+3.1%), Estonia (+1.8%) and Romania (+1.3%).

Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Malta (+12.4%), Romania (+10.1%) and Poland (+9.2%), while decreases were observed in Luxembourg (-20.7%) and Belgium (-2.5%).