Eurozone retail sales improve modestly but the big surge is yet to come - ING

Bert Colijn, a Senior Economist at ING, believes that despite the improvement in Eurozone retail sales in February, the big rebound is yet to come in the months ahead, as non-essential retail stores are still closed in many countries.

"The February increase in Eurozone retail sales was seen in most countries but driven by boosts thanks to easing relief measures. However, they are still below the 6% level seen in October 2020."

"The big question is whether eurozone consumers are eager to consume when the economy reopens. With involuntary savings built up substantially over the course of last year, there is significant potential for a rebound. As we inch closer to the easing of restrictive measures, things are looking good for a consumption recovery. The immediate positive response in sales to the easing of mobility measures is a positive sign, which is also confirmed by survey data."

"Consumer confidence has been increasing, including a strong recovery of people indicating that they are looking to make major purchases in the months ahead, which should bode well for a strong 2021 GDP recovery."