Eurozone retail sales soared 17.4% in May

According to the report from Eurostat, in May 2020, when Member States began easing the COVID-19 containment measures, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 17.8% in the euro area and by 16.4% in the EU, compared with April 2020. Economists had expected a 15.0% increase  in the euro area. In April 2020, the retail trade volume decreased by 12.1% in the euro area and by 11.4% in the EU. 

In May 2020 compared with May 2019, the calendar adjusted retail sales index decreased by 5.1% in the euro area and by 4.2% in the EU.

In the euro area in May 2020, compared with April 2020, the volume of retail trade increased by 38.4% for automotive fuels, by 34.5% for non food products and by 2.2% for food, drinks and tobacco. In the EU, the volume of retail trade increased by 31.9% for automotive fuels, by 30.2% for non-food products and by 2.1% for food, drinks and tobacco. It can be noted that the volume of retail trade in textiles, clothing and footwear rose by 147.0% in the euro area and by 130.7% in the EU.

The volume of retail trade increased in all Member States for which data are available, except in Bulgaria, where it remained unchanged. The highest increases were registered in Luxembourg (+28.6%), France (+25.6%) and Austria (+23.3%).