Volume of retail trade down 5.4% over 2011

Malta's volume of retail trade went down by 5.4% in August 2012 over the same month in 2011. A slight recovery of 1% was observed between July and August.

In August 2012 compared with July 2012, the volume of retail trade rose by 0.1% in the euro area (EA17) and fell by 0.1% in the EU27. In July retail trade increased by 0.1% and 0.2% respectively.

In August 2012, compared with August 2011, the retail sales index fell by 1.3% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU27.

In August 2012, compared with July 2012, "Food, drinks and tobacco" increased by 0.1% in both zones. The non food sector fell by 0.7% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in twelve, fell in seven and remained stable in Belgium and Bulgaria. The highest increases were registered in Luxembourg ( 2.9%), Portugal ( 2.8%), Slovenia ( 2.2%) and Spain ( 2.1%), and the largest decreases in Poland (-1.3%), Denmark (-1.1%), France and Lithuania (both -0.8%).

In August 2012, compared with August 2011, "Food, drinks and tobacco" fell by 0.9% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU27. The non food sector decreased by 1.5% in the euro area, but rose by 0.5% in the EU27.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade fell in nine and rose in twelve. The largest decreases were observed in Portugal (-6.0%), Malta (-5.4%) and Denmark (-3.5%), and the highest increases in Latvia ( 10.0%), Luxembourg ( 9.2%) and Estonia ( 7.2%).