March Sees a Marginal Decline in Eurozone Retail Sales

According to Eurostat's latest report, retail trade in the Eurozone and the European Union experienced a slight decrease of 0.1% in March compared to the previous month. However, when compared to the same period last year, the euro area saw a 1.5% increase in retail trade, with the EU recording a 1.4% growth.

Sector-Wise Performance Highlights

The month of March witnessed varied performance across different sectors. Sales volumes for food, drinks, and tobacco saw a minor decline of 0.1% in the euro area and a 0.4% drop in the EU. Non-food products sales decreased by 0.1% in the Eurozone but saw a slight increase of 0.1% in the EU. On a brighter note, automotive fuel sales in specialized stores rose by 0.4% in both regions.

Country-Specific Trends

Slovenia led the countries with the most significant month-on-month decreases, experiencing a 2% drop in retail sales, followed by Estonia with a 1.3% decrease and Slovakia with a 0.9% fall. Conversely, Malta enjoyed the highest retail sales growth at 2%, with Belgium and Croatia also showing positive trends with 1.4% increases.