Volume of retail trade down by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU
Overview
In April 2024, compared with March 2024, the seasonally adjusted retail trade volume decreased by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
In March 2024, retail trade volume grew by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU.
In April 2024 compared with April 2023, the calendar adjusted retail sales index remained stable in the euro area and decreased by 0.1% in the EU.
Monthly comparison by retail sector and by Member State
In the euro area in April 2024, compared with March 2024, the volume of retail trade
decreased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.5%,
decreased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 0.1%,
decreased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 2.2%.
In the EU, the volume of retail trade
decreased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.9%,
remained stable for non-food products (except automotive fuel),
decreased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 2.0%.
Among Member States for which data are available, the largest monthly decreases in the total retail trade volume were recorded in Latvia (-3.3%), Cyprus (-3.1%) and Denmark (-2.7%). The highest increases were observed in Slovakia (+2.4%), Bulgaria and Austria (both +1.9%) and Portugal (+1.7%).
Annual comparison by retail sector and by Member State
In the euro area in April 2024, compared with April 2023, the volume of retail trade
decreased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.5%,
increased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 0.4%,
increased 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%,
increased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 0.1%,
remained stable for automotive fuel in specialised stores.
Among Member States for which data are available, the largest annual decreases in the total retail trade volume were recorded in Poland (-7.3%), Belgium (-5.8%) and Estonia (-4.9%). The highest increases were observed in Bulgaria and Romania (both +9.8%), Croatia and Slovakia (both +8.6%) and Luxembourg (+7.3%).
Tables
Nov-23 |
Dec-23 |
Jan-24 |
Feb-24 |
Mar-24 |
Apr-24 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Euro area |
||||||
Total retail trade |
0.4 |
-0.5 |
0.1 |
-0.2 |
0.7 |
-0.5 |
Food, drinks, tobacco |
-0.1 |
-0.6 |
0.3 |
-0.2 |
1.0 |
-0.5 |
Non-food products (except automotive fuel) |
0.3 |
-0.7 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
-0.1 |
-0.1 |
Automotive fuel in specialised stores |
1.9 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
-1.1 |
1.0 |
-2.2 |
EU |
||||||
Total retail trade |
0.4 |
-0.4 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.6 |
-0.6 |
Food, drinks, tobacco |
-0.2 |
-0.3 |
0.3 |
-0.2 |
0.9 |
-0.9 |
Non-food products (except automotive fuel) |
0.4 |
-0.7 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
-0.2 |
0.0 |
Automotive fuel in specialised stores |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
0.4 |
-2.0 |
Nov-23 |
Dec-23 |
Jan-24 |
Feb-24 |
Mar-24 |
Apr-24 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Euro area |
0.4 |
-0.5 |
0.1 |
-0.2 |
0.7 |
-0.5 |
EU |
0.4 |
-0.4 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.6 |
-0.6 |
Belgium |
0.9 |
-1.9 |
-0.7 |
-1.9 |
0.4 |
-0.5 |
Bulgaria |
0.4 |
-0.7 |
0.8 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
1.9 |
Czechia |
0.5 |
0.2 |
1.4 |
-0.3 |
1.3 |
c |
Denmark |
1.0 |
-0.1 |
-1.9 |
1.2 |
0.1 |
-2.7 |
Germany |
-0.5 |
-0.2 |
-0.2 |
-1.6 |
2.7 |
-1.2 |
Estonia |
-0.9 |
0.1 |
-2.3 |
1.1 |
0.4 |
-1.0 |
Ireland |
0.0 |
1.2 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.9 |
Greece |
1.2 |
2.3 |
-6.3 |
0.6 |
6.3 |
c |
Spain |
1.2 |
-0.8 |
-0.5 |
0.6 |
-0.5 |
0.8 |
France |
1.3 |
-0.9 |
0.9 |
0.5 |
-0.2 |
-0.4 |
Croatia |
1.0 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
0.7 |
Italy |
0.1 |
-0.7 |
0.2 |
-0.1 |
0.1 |
-0.2 |
Cyprus |
1.0 |
0.1 |
1.4 |
-1.2 |
4.7 |
-3.1 |
Latvia |
0.6 |
0.8 |
-1.4 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
-3.3 |
Lithuania |
1.0 |
0.1 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
1.6 |
-1.5 |
Luxembourg |
1.8 |
3.0 |
1.3 |
2.9 |
-2.4 |
-2.6 |
Hungary |
0.8 |
1.5 |
0.1 |
-0.3 |
1.9 |
-0.9 |
Malta |
1.2 |
-1.1 |
0.3 |
0.8 |
-1.0 |
0.9 |
Netherlands |
0.8 |
-0.5 |
1.2 |
0.7 |
-0.5 |
-1.0 |
Austria |
0.7 |
-1.6 |
1.1 |
0.3 |
-0.9 |
1.9 |
Poland |
-0.7 |
-0.8 |
1.8 |
0.7 |
-1.0 |
-0.9 |
Portugal |
0.5 |
0.3 |
-0.2 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
1.7 |
Romania |
1.7 |
-0.4 |
4.6 |
-0.3 |
1.0 |
0.8 |
Slovenia |
0.2 |
-0.2 |
-1.4 |
-0.2 |
2.3 |
-1.0 |
Slovakia |
0.2 |
1.9 |
-1.2 |
1.0 |
-0.5 |
2.4 |
Finland |
0.0 |
-1.0 |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.8 |
-0.8 |
Sweden |
-1.1 |
-0.5 |
0.1 |
2.8 |
-2.3 |
-0.1 |
Norway |
0.4 |
-1.0 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
-0.3 |
Switzerland |
0.6 |
-0.2 |
0.8 |
0.0 |
-0.3 |
0.3 |
Nov-23 |
Dec-23 |
Jan-24 |
Feb-24 |
Mar-24 |
Apr-24 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Euro area |
||||||
Total retail trade |
-0.6 |
-0.5 |
-0.7 |
-0.3 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
Food, drinks, tobacco |
-0.5 |
-0.1 |
-1.3 |
-1.2 |
1.0 |
-0.5 |
Non-food products (except automotive fuel) |
0.3 |
-0.1 |
-0.7 |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.4 |
Automotive fuel in specialised stores |
-3.1 |
-3.4 |
0.7 |
-1.5 |
-1.0 |
0.3 |
EU |
||||||
Total retail trade |
-0.6 |
-0.5 |
-0.5 |
0.2 |
1.4 |
-0.1 |
Food, drinks, tobacco |
-0.6 |
0.3 |
-0.7 |
-0.5 |
1.4 |
-0.1 |
Non-food products (except automotive fuel) |
0.6 |
-0.1 |
-0.5 |
1.1 |
1.7 |
0.1 |
Automotive fuel in specialised stores |
-4.5 |
-5.1 |
-0.4 |
-1.0 |
-1.1 |
0.0 |
Nov-23 |
Dec-23 |
Jan-24 |
Feb-24 |
Mar-24 |
Apr-24 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Euro area |
-0.6 |
-0.5 |
-0.7 |
-0.3 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
EU |
-0.6 |
-0.5 |
-0.5 |
0.2 |
1.4 |
-0.1 |
Belgium |
-2.6 |
-3.7 |
-3.8 |
-6.8 |
-4.6 |
-5.8 |
Bulgaria |
3.1 |
0.8 |
-0.1 |
3.1 |
0.4 |
9.8 |
Czechia |
-0.2 |
1.1 |
3.3 |
2.5 |
6.2 |
c |
Denmark |
2.7 |
4.7 |
0.7 |
2.1 |
2.9 |
-1.9 |
Germany |
-1.6 |
-0.5 |
-1.1 |
-2.3 |
1.0 |
-0.8 |
Estonia |
-8.5 |
-4.3 |
-6.7 |
-3.5 |
-2.3 |
-4.9 |
Ireland |
-0.1 |
1.5 |
1.2 |
1.1 |
1.2 |
1.0 |
Greece |
-4.3 |
0.8 |
-9.3 |
-9.5 |
5.2 |
c |
Spain |
3.9 |
2.7 |
0.3 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
0.5 |
France |
0.3 |
-0.6 |
0.4 |
1.5 |
0.8 |
1.9 |
Croatia |
6.8 |
8.5 |
7.9 |
9.1 |
8.9 |
8.6 |
Italy |
-2.3 |
-2.3 |
-2.6 |
-0.6 |
-1.3 |
-1.2 |
Cyprus |
3.3 |
3.7 |
4.8 |
0.5 |
6.7 |
2.9 |
Latvia |
-0.7 |
1.7 |
-1.3 |
-0.2 |
3.5 |
-0.2 |
Lithuania |
0.3 |
3.3 |
-0.7 |
2.6 |
6.2 |
2.0 |
Luxembourg |
9.6 |
7.2 |
11.6 |
15.5 |
12.7 |
7.3 |
Hungary |
-5.5 |
-0.3 |
0.6 |
1.7 |
4.1 |
3.2 |
Malta |
5.1 |
-0.4 |
1.8 |
4.8 |
-0.7 |
2.5 |
Netherlands |
-0.5 |
0.6 |
0.9 |
2.5 |
3.2 |
1.6 |
Austria |
-2.0 |
-3.9 |
-2.1 |
-1.2 |
-2.1 |
1.4 |
Poland |
-1.1 |
-2.7 |
-1.6 |
2.2 |
8.2 |
-7.3 |
Portugal |
1.4 |
0.7 |
0.2 |
1.2 |
1.2 |
1.7 |
Romania |
3.4 |
1.5 |
7.5 |
7.4 |
5.7 |
9.8 |
Slovenia |
-5.1 |
-3.3 |
-1.9 |
-4.4 |
-0.5 |
-0.2 |
Slovakia |
-1.7 |
-3.3 |
1.7 |
4.3 |
1.3 |
8.6 |
Finland |
-2.4 |
-1.7 |
-2.5 |
-2.2 |
0.8 |
-2.2 |
Sweden |
-3.5 |
-3.0 |
-3.1 |
2.4 |
0.0 |
-0.6 |
Norway |
-1.6 |
-0.3 |
-1.1 |
-0.3 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
Switzerland |
-1.2 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
-0.1 |
-0.2 |
2.8 |
Nov-23 |
Dec-23 |
Jan-24 |
Feb-24 |
Mar-24 |
Apr-24 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Euro area |
99.3 |
98.8 |
98.9 |
98.7 |
99.4 |
98.9 |
EU |
99.6 |
99.2 |
99.4 |
99.4 |
100.0 |
99.4 |
Belgium |
88.7 |
87.0 |
86.4 |
84.8 |
85.1 |
84.7 |
Bulgaria |
107.2 |
106.5 |
107.4 |
107.8 |
107.9 |
110.0 |
Czechia |
93.0 |
93.2 |
94.5 |
94.2 |
95.4 |
c |
Denmark |
94.5 |
94.4 |
92.6 |
93.7 |
93.8 |
91.3 |
Germany |
96.2 |
96.0 |
95.8 |
94.3 |
96.8 |
95.6 |
Estonia |
92.4 |
92.5 |
90.4 |
91.4 |
91.8 |
90.9 |
Ireland |
100.5 |
101.7 |
101.7 |
101.9 |
102.0 |
102.9 |
Greece |
98.5 |
100.8 |
94.5 |
95.1 |
101.1 |
c |
Spain |
106.1 |
105.3 |
104.8 |
105.4 |
104.9 |
105.7 |
France |
102.0 |
101.1 |
102.0 |
102.5 |
102.3 |
101.9 |
Croatia |
108.4 |
109.3 |
109.9 |
110.8 |
111.3 |
112.1 |
Italy |
97.9 |
97.2 |
97.4 |
97.3 |
97.4 |
97.2 |
Cyprus |
110.7 |
110.8 |
112.4 |
111.0 |
116.2 |
112.6 |
Latvia |
103.3 |
104.1 |
102.6 |
103.2 |
104.4 |
101.0 |
Lithuania |
99.8 |
99.9 |
100.7 |
101.5 |
103.1 |
101.6 |
Luxembourg |
107.4 |
110.6 |
112.0 |
115.3 |
112.5 |
109.6 |
Hungary |
97.1 |
98.6 |
98.7 |
98.4 |
100.3 |
99.4 |
Malta |
113.8 |
112.5 |
112.8 |
113.7 |
112.6 |
113.6 |
Netherlands |
100.4 |
99.9 |
101.1 |
101.8 |
101.3 |
100.3 |
Austria |
95.5 |
94.0 |
95.0 |
95.3 |
94.4 |
96.2 |
Poland |
107.3 |
106.4 |
108.3 |
109.1 |
108.0 |
107.0 |
Portugal |
106.6 |
106.9 |
106.7 |
107.1 |
107.3 |
109.1 |
Romania |
108.8 |
108.4 |
113.4 |
113.1 |
114.2 |
115.1 |
Slovenia |
99.4 |
99.2 |
97.8 |
97.6 |
99.8 |
98.8 |
Slovakia |
100.4 |
102.3 |
101.1 |
102.1 |
101.6 |
104.0 |
Finland |
92.6 |
91.7 |
92.0 |
92.2 |
92.9 |
92.2 |
Sweden |
93.1 |
92.6 |
92.7 |
95.3 |
93.1 |
93.0 |
Norway |
92.9 |
92.0 |
92.0 |
92.3 |
92.6 |
92.3 |
Switzerland |
98.5 |
98.3 |
99.1 |
99.1 |
98.8 |
99.1 |
Nov-23 |
Dec-23 |
Jan-24 |
Feb-24 |
Mar-24 |
Apr-24 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Euro area |
102.2 |
115.4 |
93.0 |
87.8 |
97.9 |
95.4 |
EU |
102.8 |
115.5 |
92.7 |
88.1 |
98.6 |
96.4 |
Belgium |
90.5 |
102.2 |
84.0 |
74.8 |
84.5 |
83.2 |
Bulgaria |
113.7 |
118.5 |
98.5 |
96.5 |
104.3 |
108.3 |
Czechia |
105.0 |
114.5 |
85.1 |
81.3 |
93.2 |
c |
Denmark |
101.3 |
108.8 |
85.4 |
81.9 |
92.4 |
90.6 |
Germany |
102.9 |
107.3 |
88.2 |
85.1 |
98.5 |
95.1 |
Estonia |
93.4 |
104.7 |
81.2 |
77.6 |
90.8 |
87.3 |
Ireland |
115.9 |
137.8 |
94.3 |
95.1 |
92.8 |
98.1 |
Greece |
98.3 |
111.0 |
85.8 |
89.1 |
95.6 |
c |
Spain |
106.1 |
122.0 |
104.1 |
92.0 |
101.3 |
101.2 |
France |
103.0 |
123.0 |
97.6 |
90.8 |
99.9 |
98.4 |
Croatia |
98.9 |
111.8 |
89.2 |
88.7 |
102.6 |
106.8 |
Italy |
99.8 |
117.8 |
91.5 |
87.1 |
94.1 |
88.0 |
Cyprus |
112.4 |
133.9 |
101.4 |
97.6 |
110.5 |
109.4 |
Latvia |
99.4 |
115.7 |
91.4 |
88.1 |
101.5 |
97.8 |
Lithuania |
99.0 |
112.2 |
90.0 |
87.3 |
101.1 |
99.6 |
Luxembourg |
109.6 |
129.1 |
109.7 |
106.8 |
117.2 |
105.0 |
Hungary |
102.1 |
116.9 |
85.6 |
85.2 |
98.3 |
95.5 |
Malta |
120.7 |
126.4 |
102.0 |
100.3 |
107.6 |
108.6 |
Netherlands |
104.8 |
110.7 |
95.8 |
89.2 |
100.5 |
98.7 |
Austria |
96.2 |
108.0 |
86.8 |
85.6 |
96.6 |
97.0 |
Poland |
108.2 |
122.3 |
97.4 |
96.8 |
111.7 |
107.7 |
Portugal |
107.5 |
128.1 |
98.0 |
92.6 |
103.0 |
102.1 |
Romania |
114.9 |
122.1 |
100.4 |
97.6 |
110.6 |
113.5 |
Slovenia |
100.9 |
109.6 |
89.5 |
85.2 |
101.3 |
98.2 |
Slovakia |
103.8 |
113.5 |
91.6 |
93.0 |
102.9 |
101.0 |
Finland |
93.4 |
104.1 |
80.4 |
77.0 |
88.8 |
89.6 |
Sweden |
97.7 |
103.0 |
81.5 |
80.6 |
91.1 |
92.1 |
Norway |
101.0 |
108.0 |
82.7 |
77.7 |
88.2 |
87.4 |
Switzerland |
105.7 |
118.0 |
92.8 |
87.9 |
99.6 |
96.1 |
Notes for users
Revisions and timetable
Data of previous months have been revised compared to those issued in the News Release of 7 May 2024. The monthly percentage change for March 2024 has been revised from +0.8% to +0.7% in the euro area and from +1.2% to +0.6% in the EU. The annual percentage increase remained unchanged at +0.7% in the euro area and has been revised from +2.0% to +1.4% 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.
For more information
The weights of the Member States in the EU and euro area aggregates
(See file Base year 2021 weights - Euro indicators releases)
Get in touch
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