The Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) is reporting a small rise in the retail trade volumes for both the euro area and the European Union (EU) last December.

The just-compiled data showed a 2.0% increase in the euro-area and a 1.4% trickle in the EU during December 2020, compared with the previous month in November 2020. It was observed that the retail trade volume last November decreased by 5.7% in the euro area and by 4.9% in the EU.

The calendar adjusted retail sales index rose by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.5% in EU in December 2020 in comparison to December 2019. Also, the annual average retail trade for the year 2020, compared with 2019, fell by 1.2% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU.

Performance of items within the retail trade and countries

In comparison to November 2020, the volume of retail trade increased in the euro area in December 2020 by 5.1% for automotive fuels and 1.5% for non-food products (within this category mail orders and textile, clothing and footwear increased by 12.4%). As for food, drinks and tobacco, the increase was 1.9%.

In the EU, “the volume of retail trade increased by 4.0% for automotive fuels, by 1.7% for food, drinks and tobacco and by 0.7% for non-food products (textile, clothing and footwear +10.0%),” as indicated by the Eurostat.

Furthermore, among the member states, Eurostat noted, “the highest increases in the total retail trade volume were observed in France (+22.3%), Belgium (+15.9%) and Ireland (+11.4%). The largest decreases were registered in the Netherlands (-10.9%), Germany (-9.6%) and Denmark (-8.0%).”

Annual comparison

Eurostat also noted, “In the euro area in December 2020, compared with December 2019, the volume of retail trade increased by 5.6% for food, drinks and tobacco, while it decreased by 0.8% for non-food products (within this category textiles, clothes and footwear decreased by 29.0%) and by 14.1% for automotive fuels. As for the EU, the retail trade volume increased by 5.0% for food, drinks and tobacco, while it decreased by 0.6% for non-food products (textiles, clothes and footwear -28.4%) and by 12.9% for automotive fuels.”

Among European member states for which data are available, the largest yearly rises in the total retail trade volume were registered in Ireland (+11.1%), France (+9.1%) and Estonia (+5.9%). The largest decreases were observed in Slovenia (-13.3%), Bulgaria (-12.0%) and the Netherlands (-5.7%).