Euro area (EA17) retail sales volume declined 1% in April 2012 from the previous month, according to the data released by European Union statistical office, Eurostat.
In the same month, the volume of retail sales was down by 1.1% in the European Union (EU27), compared to the previous month.
Retail sales increased 0.3% in euro area and advanced 0.8% in EU27 in March from February 2012.
Month-on-month, food, drinks and tobacco sales rose 0.3% in euro area and fell 0.1% in EU27 in April.
During the same period, sales in non food sector decreased 0.1% in euro area and slipped 1.2% in EU27.
Among the member states for which data are available, total retail sales declined in eighteen, remained stable in Bulgaria, and grew by 0.8% and 0.6% in Romania and Germany, respectively.
The largest decreases were registered in Austria, Slovenia and Finland, where sales declined 3.5%, 2.9% and 2.7%, respectively.
Retail sales index dropped 2.5% in the euro area and edged down by 1.9% in the EU27 in April 2012, compared with April 2011.
Year-on-year, food, drinks and tobacco sales fell 2.3% in the euro area and slipped by 2.4% in the EU27 in April.
Sales in non food sector decreased 2.1% in the euro area and declined 0.7% in EU27 in April, on an annual basis.
Among the member states for which data are available, total retail sales fell in 12 and grew in nine, year-on-year in April.
The largest decreases were recorded in Spain, Portugal and Malta, where sales were down 9.6%, 9.3% and 4.6%, respectively.
The highest increases were seen in Estonia, Latvia and Romania, where sales were up 8.5%, 7.8% and 3.4%, respectively.
Image: Retail sales index dropped 2.5% in the euro area and edged down 1.9% in the EU27, year-on-year in April. Photo: Stuart Miles
