Eurostat: Romania, the highest annual retail sales growth in June

The volume of retail trade increased by 0.1% in the European Union and decreased by 0.3% in the eurozone in June compared to the same period in 2023, with Romania having the most significant advance, according to data published Tuesday by the European Statistics Office (Eurostat).

Among EU member states for which data are available, the largest increase in retail trade volume in June compared to the same period in 2023 was recorded in Romania (10.2%), Luxembourg (7.9%), and Croatia (5.4%), while the most significant decreases were in Belgium (minus 7.3%), Estonia (minus 4.1%), and Austria (minus 3.9%).

In the EU, sales of food, beverages, and tobacco decreased by 0.5%, while sales of non-food products increased by 0.7%, and automotive fuel sales increased by 0.5%.

The volume of retail trade decreased by 0.3% in the eurozone and by 0.1% in the European Union in June compared to the previous month, when there was an increase of 0.1% in both the EU and the eurozone.

Among EU member states for which data are available, the largest increase in retail trade volume in June compared to the previous month was recorded in Romania (1.8%), Bulgaria (1.4%), and Denmark (1%), with the most significant decreases in Croatia (minus 2.7%), Austria (minus 2.3%), and Latvia and Lithuania (both minus 1.7%).

In the EU, sales of food, beverages, and tobacco decreased by 1%, non-food product sales remained stable, while automotive fuel sales increased by 0.6%.

According to data from the National Institute of Statistics, in Romania, the volume of retail trade turnover (excluding trade in motor vehicles and motorcycles), in gross series, increased overall by 0.9% in June 2024 compared to the previous month, due to the advance recorded in retail sales of automotive fuels in specialized stores (+5.7%) and sales of non-food products (+0.3%). Sales of food, beverages, and tobacco decreased by 0.8%.

As an adjusted series, it increased overall by 1.9%, due to the growth recorded in retail sales of automotive fuels in specialized stores (+4.4%), sales of non-food products (+1.9%), and sales of food, beverages, and tobacco (+0.1%).

The volume of retail trade turnover (excluding trade in motor vehicles and motorcycles), in gross series, in June 2024 compared to June 2023, recorded an overall appreciation of 9.4%, due to the increase noted in sales of non-food products (+11.9%), retail sales of automotive fuels in specialized stores (+9.7%), and sales of food, beverages, and tobacco (+6.2%).

As an adjusted series according to the number of working days and seasonality, it recorded an overall increase of 10%, due to the growth recorded in sales of non-food products (+13.3%), retail sales of automotive fuels in specialized stores (+10.2%), and sales of food, beverages, and tobacco (+5.7%).