Volume of retail trade up by 0.1% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU

Overview

In January 2024, compared with December 2023, the seasonally adjusted retail trade volume increased by 0.1% in

the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

In December 2023, the retail trade volume fell by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.7% in the EU.

In January 2024 compared with January 2023, the calendar adjusted retail sales index decreased by 1.0% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU.

Retail trade volume

Monthly comparison by retail sector and by Member State

In the euro area in January 2024, compared with December 2023, the volume of retail trade

increased for food, drinks, tobacco by 1.0%,
decreased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 0.2%,
increased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 1.7%.

In the EU, the volume of retail trade

increased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.8%,
increased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 0.1%,
increased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 1.2%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the highest monthly increases in the total retail trade volume were recorded in Luxembourg (+7.6%), Romania (+3.8%) and Cyprus (+1.5%). The largest decreases were observed in Estonia (-2.6%), Slovakia (-1.0%) and Latvia (-0.8%).

Annual comparison by retail sector and by Member State

In the euro area in January 2024, compared with January 2023, the volume of retail trade

decreased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.6%,
decreased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 1.4%,
increased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 0.8%.

In the EU, the volume of retail trade

decreased for food, drinks, tobacco by 0.2%,
decreased for non-food products (except automotive fuel) by 1.0%,
decreased for automotive fuel in specialised stores by 0.4%.

Among Member States for which data are available, the largest annual decreases in the total retail trade volume were recorded in Estonia (-6.7%), Belgium (-3.8%) and Finland (-2.9%). The highest increases were observed in Luxembourg (+7.2%), Romania (+6.7%) and Denmark (+5.9%).

Tables

Volume of retail trade % change compared with the previous month*
	Aug-23	Sept-23	Oct-23	Nov-23	Dec-23	Jan-24
Euro area
Total retail trade	-0.8	0.0	0.3	0.4	-0.6	0.1
Food, drinks, tobacco	-0.4	0.8	-0.8	-0.1	-0.7	1.0
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	-0.9	-0.8	1.0	0.3	-0.9	-0.2
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	-2.5	0.1	0.3	1.6	0.5	1.7
EU
Total retail trade	-0.6	0.0	0.4	0.4	-0.7	0.3
Food, drinks, tobacco	-0.1	0.8	-0.6	0.0	-0.6	0.8
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	-0.8	-0.8	1.0	0.4	-0.9	0.1
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	-2.1	0.6	0.7	0.4	0.9	1.2
* Calendar and seasonally adjusted Source dataset: sts_trtu_m

Volume of retail trade % change compared with the previous month*
	Aug-23	Sept-23	Oct-23	Nov-23	Dec-23	Jan-24
Euro area	-0.8	0.0	0.3	0.4	-0.6	0.1
EU	-0.6	0.0	0.4	0.4	-0.7	0.3
Belgium	-2.2	0.8	-0.3	1.0	-1.9	-0.6
Bulgaria	-0.1	0.1	0.8	0.4	-0.7	0.3
Czechia	-0.6	-0.4	0.4	0.8	0.2	c
Denmark	3.5	2.0	1.9	2.3	-0.9	0.6
Germany	-1.1	0.0	1.0	-0.5	-0.5	-0.4
Estonia	0.4	0.0	0.0	-1.0	0.2	-2.6
Ireland	1.3	-1.0	0.1	0.0	0.9	-0.1
Greece	0.2	-0.8	-2.2	0.8	3.1	c
Spain	c	c	c	c	c	c
France	-1.2	0.3	-0.3	0.9	-1.1	1.2
Croatia	c	c	c	c	c	c
Italy	-0.6	-0.5	0.4	c	c	c
Cyprus	-1.0	0.1	-0.1	1.1	-0.2	1.5
Latvia	-0.6	-0.1	1.8	0.3	0.7	-0.8
Lithuania	1.4	-0.4	0.2	1.0	0.1	1.2
Luxembourg	-1.0	0.9	0.7	3.8	-6.4	7.6
Hungary	-0.4	0.3	-0.2	1.0	1.3	0.0
Malta	0.2	-0.5	0.1	1.2	-1.1	-0.2
Netherlands	0.4	0.0	0.8	0.7	-0.5	0.3
Austria	-0.7	-0.2	-0.7	0.6	-1.6	0.7
Poland	0.2	0.1	0.2	-0.7	-0.8	-0.1
Portugal	-1.8	1.0	-0.6	0.5	0.5	0.0
Romania	0.2	-0.6	1.1	1.7	-0.4	3.8
Slovenia	0.1	0.7	0.8	0.1	-0.5	-0.6
Slovakia	1.5	-1.3	1.7	0.0	1.7	-1.0
Finland	0.0	-0.5	0.4	0.1	-1.0	-0.2
Sweden	0.0	-1.6	2.3	-1.1	-0.6	0.5
Norway	-0.2	0.1	0.3	0.4	-1.1	-0.1
Switzerland	0.3	-0.4	0.2	0.4	-0.2	0.7
* Calendar and seasonally adjusted c Confidential Source dataset: sts_trtu_m

Volume of retail trade % change compared with the same month of the previous year*
	Aug-23	Sept-23	Oct-23	Nov-23	Dec-23	Jan-24
Euro area
Total retail trade	-2.0	-3.3	-0.9	-0.5	-0.5	-1.0
Food, drinks, tobacco	-2.4	-1.0	-1.0	-0.5	-0.1	-0.6
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	-0.9	-4.1	-0.1	0.5	-0.2	-1.4
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	-4.7	-5.8	-5.5	-3.2	-3.5	0.8
EU
Total retail trade	-2.1	-3.1	-0.8	-0.4	-0.5	-0.6
Food, drinks, tobacco	-2.4	-0.8	-0.8	-0.3	0.3	-0.2
Non-food products (except automotive fuel)	-0.7	-3.8	0.2	0.7	-0.1	-1.0
Automotive fuel in specialised stores	-5.6	-6.0	-5.2	-4.6	-5.1	-0.4
* Calendar adjusted Source dataset: sts_trtu_m

Volume of retail trade % change compared with the same month of the previous year*
	Aug-23	Sept-23	Oct-23	Nov-23	Dec-23	Jan-24
Euro area	-2.0	-3.3	-0.9	-0.5	-0.5	-1.0
EU	-2.1	-3.1	-0.8	-0.4	-0.5	-0.6
Belgium	-9.3	-8.9	-4.3	-2.6	-3.7	-3.8
Bulgaria	0.2	0.1	3.4	3.1	0.8	-0.1
Czechia	-2.8	-4.3	-1.6	0.2	1.6	c
Denmark	-1.4	0.9	4.3	6.9	6.2	5.9
Germany	-2.3	-3.9	0.1	-1.6	-0.8	-1.6
Estonia	-7.5	-5.8	-5.1	-8.5	-4.2	-6.7
Ireland	1.7	0.8	0.5	-0.1	1.5	0.6
Greece	-3.3	-3.4	-6.0	-4.2	0.7	c
Spain	c	c	c	c	c	c
France	-2.1	-3.2	-1.9	0.5	-0.7	-1.1
Croatia	c	c	c	c	c	c
Italy	-3.2	-4.7	-2.5	c	c	c
Cyprus	4.5	3.1	2.9	3.9	3.7	4.5
Latvia	-2.7	-2.9	-0.3	-1.4	1.2	-2.0
Lithuania	-1.0	-2.3	-0.5	0.3	3.3	0.0
Luxembourg	2.6	3.0	6.9	9.1	2.2	7.2
Hungary	-7.0	-7.4	-6.5	-5.3	-0.2	0.6
Malta	2.7	0.7	0.7	5.2	-0.2	0.6
Netherlands	-0.7	-2.2	0.1	0.2	1.5	1.2
Austria	-2.4	-7.5	-3.0	-2.0	-3.9	-2.5
Poland	-2.1	-0.7	0.8	-1.1	-2.7	-2.1
Portugal	-1.1	0.6	-0.1	1.4	0.9	0.6
Romania	-0.2	-0.6	0.8	3.4	1.5	6.7
Slovenia	-6.2	-6.2	-3.9	-5.2	-3.7	-2.1
Slovakia	-3.9	-7.5	-1.3	-1.7	-3.3	1.6
Finland	-3.8	-4.5	-2.5	-2.1	-1.2	-2.9
Sweden	-3.9	-5.5	-0.8	-3.4	-3.0	-2.1
Norway	-2.2	-2.2	-1.1	-1.6	-0.4	-1.2
Switzerland	-2.1	-2.9	-1.9	-1.2	-0.1	0.2
* Calendar adjusted c Confidential Source dataset: sts_trtu_m

Volume of retail trade, calendar and seasonally adjusted indices (base year 2021)
	Aug-23	Sept-23	Oct-23	Nov-23	Dec-23	Jan-24
Euro area	98.7	98.7	99.0	99.4	98.8	98.9
EU	99.0	99.0	99.4	99.8	99.1	99.4
Belgium	87.7	88.4	88.1	89.0	87.3	86.8
Bulgaria	105.9	106.0	106.8	107.2	106.5	106.8
Czechia	92.1	91.7	92.1	92.8	93.0	c
Denmark	91.6	93.4	95.2	97.4	96.5	97.1
Germany	95.7	95.7	96.7	96.2	95.7	95.3
Estonia	93.1	93.1	93.1	92.2	92.4	90.0
Ireland	101.6	100.6	100.7	100.7	101.6	101.5
Greece	100.3	99.5	97.3	98.1	101.1	c
Spain	c	c	c	c	c	c
France	101.1	101.4	101.1	102.0	100.9	102.1
Croatia	c	c	c	c	c	c
Italy	97.9	97.4	97.8	c	c	c
Cyprus	109.8	109.9	109.8	111.0	110.8	112.5
Latvia	100.4	100.3	102.1	102.4	103.1	102.3
Lithuania	99.0	98.6	98.8	99.8	99.9	101.1
Luxembourg	105.8	106.8	107.6	111.7	104.6	112.5
Hungary	96.0	96.3	96.1	97.1	98.4	98.4
Malta	113.0	112.4	112.5	113.9	112.7	112.5
Netherlands	99.5	99.5	100.3	101.0	100.5	100.8
Austria	95.7	95.5	94.8	95.4	93.9	94.6
Poland	107.8	107.9	108.1	107.3	106.4	106.3
Portugal	105.6	106.7	106.1	106.6	107.1	107.1
Romania	106.4	105.8	107.0	108.8	108.4	112.5
Slovenia	97.4	98.1	98.9	99.0	98.5	97.9
Slovakia	99.8	98.5	100.2	100.2	101.9	100.9
Finland	92.6	92.1	92.5	92.6	91.7	91.5
Sweden	93.5	92.0	94.1	93.1	92.5	93.0
Norway	92.1	92.2	92.5	92.9	91.9	91.8
Switzerland	98.1	97.7	97.9	98.3	98.1	98.8
c Confidential Source dataset: sts_trtu_m

Volume of retail trade, calendar adjusted indices (base year 2021)
	Aug-23	Sept-23	Oct-23	Nov-23	Dec-23	Jan-24
Euro area	101.4	95.8	100.2	102.6	115.4	93.1
EU	101.5	96.4	100.6	103.2	115.4	92.9
Belgium	81.3	84.6	90.1	90.5	102.2	84.0
Bulgaria	110.5	107.7	110.5	113.7	118.5	98.5
Czechia	89.0	89.8	93.4	103.3	111.1	c
Denmark	93.7	89.2	94.2	105.0	110.6	89.9
Germany	92.4	92.0	98.3	102.9	106.9	87.7
Estonia	96.3	92.9	94.6	93.4	104.8	81.2
Ireland	100.7	98.4	95.4	115.9	137.8	93.8
Greece	109.2	101.1	98.1	98.3	110.8	c
Spain	c	c	c	c	c	c
France	117.5	97.8	102.0	104.2	122.9	97.1
Croatia	c	c	c	c	c	c
Italy	96.5	96.0	101.1	c	c	c
Cyprus	110.8	110.2	110.9	111.7	133.1	100.9
Latvia	106.9	99.4	101.5	98.6	114.8	90.8
Lithuania	105.1	98.1	100.7	99.0	112.2	90.6
Luxembourg	96.0	104.8	111.1	116.0	125.5	107.0
Hungary	99.1	95.7	99.8	101.2	115.0	85.4
Malta	115.5	110.2	114.5	120.4	126.6	101.0
Netherlands	94.8	95.0	100.9	105.5	111.7	95.9
Austria	94.3	93.8	97.0	96.2	108.0	86.6
Poland	108.5	108.6	110.7	108.2	122.3	96.9
Portugal	112.6	104.5	105.2	107.5	128.4	98.4
Romania	113.0	107.8	109.3	114.9	122.1	99.7
Slovenia	97.7	99.0	101.7	100.8	109.1	89.3
Slovakia	100.0	96.6	102.6	103.8	113.5	91.6
Finland	96.2	90.8	92.4	93.7	104.6	80.0
Sweden	94.4	88.5	94.5	97.8	103.0	82.3
Norway	94.3	88.7	90.8	101.0	108.0	82.6
Switzerland	92.7	93.0	98.0	105.7	117.8	92.7
c Confidential Source dataset: sts_trtu_m

Notes for users

Revisions and timetable

Data of previous months have been revised compared to those issued in the News Release of 6 February 2024. The monthly percentage change for December 2023 has been revised from -1.1% to -0.6% in the euro area and from -1.0% to -0.7% in the EU. The annual percentage change has been revised from -0.8% to -0.5% in the euro area and from -0.7% to ‑0.5% 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 this release, 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.