Malta with worst decrease in retail trade in EU

Malta’s retail trade decreased by 3.7% in October this year when compared to October 2013, Eurostat statistics show. This means that Malta registered the largest decrease in trade out of all European member states and the only country besides Slovenia (-0.1%) to even register a decline in retail trade.

Malta also registered similar declines in shop sales in July and August this year when compared to the same months last year.

“The problem is a persistent one and the government is trying to ignore it and sweep it under the carpet,” Nationalist MPs Mario deMarco, Tonio Fenech and Kristy Debono said in a joint statement. “This attitude isn’t doing anything to help business owners who are being hit heavily by these sale reductions.”

They claimed that these low figures are due to Maltese families having less money to spend.

“These statistics came out in October, before the government announced that families will face more expensive car licenses, insurance fees, government-service fees, as well as a new tax on wine.”