Euro area retail sales rose 0.3% in March. The highest increase was registered in Hungary (+1.8%)

In March 2017 compared with February 2017, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade rose by 0.3% in the euro area (EA19), while it fell by 0.2% in the EU28, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In February the retail trade volume increased by 0.5% in the euro area and by 0.7% in the EU28. In March 2017 compared with March 2016 the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 2.3% in the euro area and by 2.5% in the EU28.

The 0.3% increase in the volume of retail trade in the euro area in March 2017, compared with February 2017, is due to rises of 0.4% for non-food products and of 0.2% for "Food, drinks and tobacco", while automotive fuel fell by 0.3%. In the EU28, the 0.2% decrease in the volume of retail trade is due to falls of 0.4% for automotive fuel and of 0.3% for non-food products, while "Food, drinks and tobacco" rose by 0.1%. Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases in the total retail trade volume were registered in Hungary (+1.8%), Estonia (+1.6%) and Luxembourg (+1.5%), while the largest decreases were observed in Portugal (-2.3%), Slovenia and the United Kingdom (both -2.2%) as well as Finland (-2.1%).