Europe retail sales weaken in March | Progresiv

Retail sales across Europe weakened in March, according to the latest figures from Eurostat, continuing the downward trend seen over the previous two months.

For March, seasonally-adjusted retail volumes remained flat month-on-month across the 19-member euro area, while edging up 0.3% across the 28-member EU bloc. Compared with March 2018, calendar-adjusted sales rose by 1.9% in the euro area and by 2.9% in the EU28.

During the month, sales were driven by demand for food, drinks & tobacco, volumes of which rose by 0.6% month-on-month in the euro area and by 0.5% in the EU bloc.  On a year-on-year basis, sales of such products were up 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU28.

Meanwhile, sales of non-food products rose by 0.4% month-on-month in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU28.  On a year-on-year basis, sales of such products grew by 3% in the euro area and by 4.4% in the EU bloc. (www.kamcity.com)