Volume of retail trade down by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU

Overview

In October 2024, compared with September 2024, the seasonally adjusted retail trade volume decreased by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In September 2024, retail trade volume grew by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU.

In October 2024, compared with October 2023, the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 1.9% the euro area and by 2.1% in the EU.

Monthly comparison by retail sector and by Member State

In the euro area in October 2024, compared with September 2024, the volume of retail trade

increased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.1%,
decreased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 0.9%,
decreased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 0.3%.

In the EU, the volume of retail trade

decreased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.1%,
decreased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 0.7%,
decreased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 0.5%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the largest monthly decreases in the total retail trade volume were recorded in Belgium (-1.7%), Germany (-1.4%), Denmark and Cyprus (both -1.1%). The highest increases were observed in Luxembourg (+2.4%), Poland (+2.2%) and Lithuania (+1.5%).

Annual comparison by retail sector and by Member State

In the euro area in October 2024, compared with October 2023, the volume of retail trade

increased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.6%,
increased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 2.7%,
increased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 1.9%.

In the EU, the volume of retail trade

increased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.7%,
increased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 3.0%,
increased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 0.6%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the highest annual increases in the total retail trade volume were recorded in Luxembourg (+15.4%), Romania (+10.2%) and Croatia (+6.7%). The largest decreases were observed in Finland (-2.9%), Belgium (-2.5%) and Estonia (-1.6%).

Tables

Volume of retail trade
% change compared with the previous month*

Share
	2024
	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
Euro area
Total retail trade	0.2	-0.7	0.5	1.1	0.5	-0.5
Food, drinks, tobacco	1.1	-0.4	-0.1	1.1	-0.7	0.1
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	-0.4	-0.6	0.8	1.3	1.3	-0.9
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	0.0	-0.4	-0.1	1.2	-0.6	-0.3
EU
Total retail trade	0.1	-0.5	0.5	0.9	0.4	-0.3
Food, drinks, tobacco	1.6	-0.8	0.1	0.9	-0.3	-0.1
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	-0.6	-0.4	0.9	1.0	1.1	-0.7
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	-0.4	-0.1	-0.6	0.8	-0.3	-0.5

Volume of retail trade
% change compared with the previous month*

Share
				2024
	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
Euro area	0.2	-0.7	0.5	1.1	0.5	-0.5
EU	0.1	-0.5	0.5	0.9	0.4	-0.3
Belgium	0.1	-1.0	1.1	0.2	2.1	-1.7
Bulgaria	-0.7	1.5	0.8	-0.8	0.6	0.8
Czechia	-0.4	0.4	0.8	0.1	0.2	c
Denmark	1.2	0.7	0.0	-1.9	2.3	-1.1
Germany	-0.7	-0.4	0.7	1.0	1.5	-1.4
Estonia	-0.6	-0.8	0.4	0.8	-0.9	1.4
Ireland	-0.1	-0.7	0.6	-0.6	0.6	-0.5
Greece	16.6	-6.0	-4.3	-2.5	1.6	c
Spain	-0.5	0.5	0.6	0.5	1.0	0.0
France	-0.1	-0.6	0.1	3.0	-0.7	0.0
Croatia	0.4	-1.2	1.4	-0.7	2.1	0.6
Italy	0.2	-0.2	0.3	c	c	c
Cyprus	1.2	0.4	-0.7	1.8	0.2	-1.1
Latvia	1.3	-1.0	1.0	0.0	-0.3	0.5
Lithuania	2.1	-2.0	1.4	0.0	0.6	1.5
Luxembourg	2.3	1.2	0.3	-1.0	-1.6	2.4
Hungary	0.1	-0.1	0.0	0.8	-1.4	1.3
Malta	-0.3	-0.6	0.5	0.1	0.2	0.1
Netherlands	0.7	-1.6	0.6	1.0	-0.1	-0.3
Austria	-0.5	-2.8	3.0	0.0	0.8	-0.3
Poland	-0.7	-0.5	2.4	-0.1	-1.9	2.2
Portugal	0.4	0.7	-0.3	1.0	0.8	0.7
Romania	-0.3	1.3	-1.6	1.6	1.1	0.9
Slovenia	-0.8	-1.2	1.9	-0.7	-1.4	0.8
Slovakia	-1.0	-1.1	1.9	-1.0	1.1	0.8
Finland	1.9	-1.7	0.0	1.0	-2.0	0.1
Sweden	0.5	-1.0	0.6	0.5	-0.2	-0.4
Norway	3.7	-5.1	1.2	0.1	-0.3	0.2
Switzerland	-0.1	-0.9	2.2	0.0	-0.7	-0.1

Volume of retail trade
% change compared with the same month of the previous year*

Share
	2024
	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
Euro area
Total retail trade	0.4	-0.8	0.2	2.5	3.0	1.9
Food, drinks, tobacco	0.5	-0.3	-0.2	1.4	0.2	0.6
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	0.6	-1.0	0.2	2.4	5.5	2.7
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	0.3	-0.3	0.0	4.8	2.1	1.9
EU
Total retail trade	0.5	-0.4	0.7	2.6	2.9	2.1
Food, drinks, tobacco	0.9	-0.2	0.1	1.3	0.5	0.7
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	0.6	-0.7	0.9	2.6	5.2	3.0
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	-0.1	0.3	-0.1	3.8	1.6	0.6

Volume of retail trade
% change compared with the same month of the previous year*

Share
	2024
	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
Euro area	0.4	-0.8	0.2	2.5	3.0	1.9
EU	0.5	-0.4	0.7	2.6	2.9	2.1
Belgium	-4.6	-6.3	-4.0	-1.7	-0.7	-2.5
Bulgaria	1.6	4.4	6.8	4.9	4.8	5.1
Czechia	3.0	3.7	4.9	5.0	5.5	c
Denmark	-0.3	1.4	3.3	-1.6	2.7	0.3
Germany	-1.6	-1.9	-0.2	2.2	4.3	1.0
Estonia	-4.0	-4.1	-3.1	-2.7	-4.4	-1.6
Ireland	-0.3	-1.4	1.0	-1.4	1.1	1.4
Greece	10.5	5.9	-2.5	-5.1	-0.6	c
Spain	0.1	0.4	1.2	2.3	4.4	3.8
France	1.8	0.1	-0.6	5.1	3.2	3.6
Croatia	8.4	5.6	7.9	5.7	7.1	6.7
Italy	-0.9	-1.0	-0.2	c	c	c
Cyprus	3.3	4.0	2.0	5.8	5.9	3.4
Latvia	0.9	-1.2	0.2	0.7	0.1	-0.1
Lithuania	5.7	2.6	5.6	4.2	4.7	6.2
Luxembourg	20.3	17.4	21.0	19.8	14.5	15.4
Hungary	3.7	2.5	2.5	4.0	1.8	3.6
Malta	5.9	2.7	2.8	2.4	2.9	1.9
Netherlands	2.4	-1.9	1.9	2.4	1.5	0.6
Austria	0.9	-4.0	-0.3	0.7	2.2	2.1
Poland	-2.1	-2.4	2.0	1.1	-3.0	0.8
Portugal	2.9	3.2	2.4	5.5	5.0	6.1
Romania	6.1	10.3	6.5	8.7	10.4	10.2
Slovenia	-0.7	-0.3	3.0	1.6	-1.3	-0.9
Slovakia	5.3	1.7	5.2	1.1	3.9	4.6
Finland	-0.3	-2.2	-2.1	-0.1	-3.1	-2.9
Sweden	0.9	-0.8	0.0	0.8	2.0	-0.5
Norway	3.3	-2.8	-0.7	0.0	-0.6	-0.3
Switzerland	0.0	-3.0	2.8	2.7	1.8	1.4

Volume of retail trade, calendar and seasonally adjusted indices
(base year 2021)
	2024
	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
Euro area	100.1	99.4	99.9	101.0	101.5	101.0
EU	100.4	99.9	100.4	101.3	101.7	101.4
Belgium	89.5	88.6	89.6	89.8	91.7	90.1
Bulgaria	109.4	111.0	111.8	111.0	111.7	112.6
Czechia	95.2	95.6	96.4	96.5	96.7	c
Denmark	93.5	94.2	94.2	92.4	94.5	93.5
Germany	96.2	95.8	96.5	97.5	99.0	97.6
Estonia	90.2	89.5	89.9	90.6	89.8	91.1
Ireland	108.9	108.1	108.8	108.2	108.9	108.4
Greece	110.1	103.5	99.0	96.5	98.0	c
Spain	105.5	106.0	106.6	107.1	108.2	108.2
France	102.4	101.8	101.9	105.0	104.3	104.3
Croatia	112.1	110.8	112.4	111.6	113.9	114.6
Italy	97.9	97.7	98.0	c	c	c
Cyprus	114.2	114.6	113.8	115.9	116.1	114.8
Latvia	102.1	101.1	102.1	102.1	101.8	102.3
Lithuania	103.9	101.8	103.2	103.2	103.8	105.4
Luxembourg	122.2	123.7	124.1	122.8	120.8	123.7
Hungary	99.4	99.3	99.3	100.1	98.7	100.0
Malta	115.0	114.3	114.8	115.0	115.2	115.3
Netherlands	100.9	99.3	99.9	100.9	100.8	100.5
Austria	96.1	93.4	96.2	96.2	97.0	96.7
Poland	106.1	105.6	108.1	108.0	106.0	108.3
Portugal	109.6	110.4	110.1	111.2	112.1	112.9
Romania	114.6	116.1	114.3	116.1	117.4	118.4
Slovenia	98.9	97.7	99.6	98.9	97.5	98.3
Slovakia	102.4	101.3	103.2	102.2	103.3	104.1
Finland	92.4	90.8	90.8	91.7	89.9	90.0
Sweden	93.7	92.8	93.4	93.9	93.7	93.3
Norway	95.9	91.0	92.1	92.2	91.9	92.1
Switzerland	98.9	98.0	100.2	100.2	99.5	99.4

Volume of retail trade, calendar adjusted indices
(base year 2021)
	2024
	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct
Euro area	99.7	99.6	99.0	103.9	99.0	102.1
EU	100.4	100.2	99.9	104.1	99.4	102.7
Belgium	91.0	91.5	90.2	84.5	88.3	92.1
Bulgaria	106.4	109.9	116.2	115.9	112.9	116.2
Czechia	94.8	95.7	95.0	94.3	93.9	c
Denmark	98.3	97.2	93.1	93.4	90.3	91.6
Germany	96.8	94.4	97.4	94.4	96.0	99.3
Estonia	93.5	91.5	93.9	93.7	88.8	93.1
Ireland	105.4	112.6	99.3	102.2	102.7	102.5
Greece	103.9	102.2	103.7	103.7	100.6	c
Spain	104.2	107.3	115.0	106.3	106.0	107.6
France	100.5	102.0	85.6	122.9	100.9	105.0
Croatia	113.4	118.6	139.3	136.2	118.7	112.8
Italy	97.3	97.3	105.4	c	c	c
Cyprus	111.1	115.7	120.9	116.2	115.9	114.2
Latvia	104.6	102.2	106.8	107.7	100.2	101.2
Lithuania	108.3	103.9	108.6	109.5	102.7	106.9
Luxembourg	123.2	124.4	129.2	112.5	118.5	124.5
Hungary	99.3	100.7	102.5	103.0	97.2	103.5
Malta	122.2	116.2	121.2	116.0	111.5	115.8
Netherlands	105.1	101.6	102.2	96.3	96.5	100.9
Austria	94.8	93.6	97.9	95.0	96.0	99.0
Poland	106.2	104.9	109.1	109.7	105.3	111.6
Portugal	107.9	105.9	117.3	118.8	109.7	111.6
Romania	114.0	115.4	118.7	122.8	119.0	120.5
Slovenia	97.9	99.7	103.1	99.4	97.6	100.8
Slovakia	103.9	103.2	102.5	101.0	100.5	107.4
Finland	97.3	97.3	97.0	96.2	88.0	89.5
Sweden	100.2	99.0	96.3	95.1	90.1	93.8
Norway	102.9	97.3	91.2	94.3	88.2	90.6
Switzerland	101.1	97.0	99.5	95.2	94.8	99.3

Notes for users

Revisions and timetable

Data of previous months have been revised compared to those issued in the News Release of 7 November 2024. The monthly percentage change for September 2024 remained stable at +0.5% in the euro area and has been revised from +0.3% to +0.4% in the EU. The annual percentage change has been revised from +2.9% to +3.0% in the euro area and from +2.8% to +2.9% in the EU.

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.

Missing observations from Member States for recent months are estimated for the calculation of the euro area and the EU aggregates.

Starting with reference period January 2024, the base year of the data has been changed to 2021, since 2018 the base year had been 2015. More information on the reasons for and impact of the base year change can be found in the related Statistics Explained article.

Geographical information

The euro area (EA20) includes Belgium, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland.

The European Union (EU27) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.