Euro zone retail sales rose sharply in February

According to estimates from Eurostat, in February 2020 - the month before COVID-19 containment measures began to be widely introduced by Member States -, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 0.9% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU, compared with January 2020. In January 2020, the retail trade volume increased by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU. In February 2020 compared with February 2019, the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased by 3.0% in the euro area and by 3.2% in the EU.

In the euro area in February 2020, compared with January 2020, the volume of retail trade increased by 2.4% for food, drinks and tobacco and 0.2% for non-food products, while automotive fuels fell by 0.1%. In the EU, the volume of retail trade increased by 2.1% for food, drinks and tobacco, by 0.2% for non-food products and by 0.1% for automotive fuels.

In the euro area in February 2020, compared with February 2019, the volume of retail trade increased by 3.2% for food, drinks and tobacco, by 2.9% for non-food products and by 0.3% for automotive fuel. In the EU, the retail trade volume increased by 3.6% for non-food products, by 3.1% for food, drinks and tobacco and by 0.6% for automotive fuel.