According to the Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, in June 2011, the volume of retail trade up by 0,9% in euro area and by 0,7% in the EU compared with May. Compared with the same month last year, the retail sales index decreased by 0.4% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU.

Eurostat published its data regarding the retail trade in Europe. According to this data, in June compared with May 2011, “Food, drinks and tobacco” rose by 0.9% in the euro area and by 1% in the EU. Moreover, the non food sector increased by 1% and 1.2% respectively. In June, compared with June 2010, “Food, drinks and tobacco” fell by 0.2% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU. The non food sector remained stable in the euro area and increased by 1.0% in the whole EU.

With regard to the Member States, total retail trade grew in fourteen, fell in six and remained stable in Ireland compared to May 2011. The largest increases were observed in Germany (+6.3%), Latvia (+3.3%), Sweden (+3.0%) and Austria (+2.4%), and the highest decreases in Romania (-1.3%) and Belgium (-1%). Compared to June 2010, total retail trade in June 2011 fell in twelve and rose in nine. The largest decreases were observed in Spain (-8.3%), Romania (-8.2%), Portugal (-5.9%), Belgium (-4.3%), Malta and Slovakia (both -4.2%), and the highest increases in Luxembourg (+12.4%), Lithuania (+7.1%), Latvia (+5.4%) and France (+4.6%).