According to the data published by Eurostat and the National Institute of Statistics, in October 2011 as compared with September 2011, the volume of retail trade grew by 0.4% MoM in both the euro area and the EU 27. In September 2011, retail trade fell by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU 27.

In October 2011 as compared with October 2010, the retail sales index decreased by 0.4% YoY in the euro area and remained stable in the EU 27.

In October 2011 as compared with September 2011, food, drinks and tobacco rose by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the EU 27. The non food sector grew by 0.5% and 0.8% respectively.

Among the member states for which data are available, total retail trade rose in eleven and fell in ten. The largest increases were observed in Malta (+3.7%), Romania (+2.0%) and Poland (+1.4%), and the highest decreases in Portugal (-3.3%), Latvia (-2.9%) and Denmark (-2.0%).

In October 2011 as compared with October 2010, food, drinks and tobacco fell by 0.4% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU 27. The non food sector decreased by 0.6% in the euro area, but rose by 0.3% in the EU 27.

Among the member states for which data are available, total retail trade rose in eleven and decreased in ten. The largest increases were observed in Lithuania (+9.5%), Luxembourg (+8.9%) and Latvia (+4.9%), and the highest decreases in Portugal (-9.7%), Spain (-6.8%) and Denmark (-5.9%).