Retail revived in both the euro area and the Union, with sales rising in October

Retail revived in both the euro area and the Union, with sales rising in October

The European statistical office Eurostat informed that, retail sales in the euro area and across the European Union (EU) revived in October, rising after declining in the previous month. According to Eurostat's flash estimate, seasonally adjusted retail sales increased by 1.5% month on month in the euro area and across the EU in October 2020. At the same time, in September 2020, retail sales in euro-paying countries fell by 1.7% and in the EU by 1.3%. Year-on-year, retail sales rose by 4.3% in the euro area and 4.2% in the EU in October. Statistics also showed that in October, compared with September, sales of non-food goods as well as sales of food, beverages and tobacco increased by 2% in the euro area, while fuel sales fell by 3.7%. In the EU, sales of non-food products increased by 2% and sales of food, beverages and tobacco by 1.9%, but sales of fuels decreased by 3.4%. Among the EU Member States for which Eurostat data were available in October, the largest month-on-month increase in retail sales was recorded in Denmark (8.3%), Croatia (6.5%) and France (2.8%), while only Slovenia (-1.4%), Slovakia (-1.2%), the Netherlands (-0.7%) and Luxembourg (-0.3%)reported a decrease. In a year-on-year comparison, sales of non-food products in the euro area increased the most in October, by 5.4%. Within this category, sales from mail order and internet sales increased by 28.5%, while sales of textiles, clothing and footwear decreased by 14%. Sales of food, beverages and tobacco also increased year on year in October, by 5.1%. On the other hand, fuel sales fell by 9.6%. In the EU, sales of non-food products increased by 5.7% over the period under review (in mail order and online stores by 29.2%, but sales of textiles, clothing and footwear decreased by 13%). Sales of food, beverages and tobacco increased by 4.6%, while sales of fuels decreased by 9.5%. Ireland (13.8%), Denmark (12.5%) and Lithuania (8.5%) showed the largest year-on-year increase in retail sales in October. And sales fell the most in Slovenia (-11.1%), Malta (-7.2%) and Bulgaria (-5.3%). In Slovakia, retail sales increased by 2.8% year-on-year in October.