Euro Area Retail Sales Drop 0.4 Percent in April
The retreat partially unwound March's solid gains, which had seen retail volumes climb 0.8% across the euro area and 1.1% across the broader EU. April's figures showed the EU as a whole fared similarly, with retail trade volumes sliding 0.5% compared to the prior month.
Despite the monthly setback, the annual picture remained modestly positive. Calendar-adjusted retail sales rose 1.0% in the euro area and 0.9% across the EU compared with April 2025.
Fuel Drives the Decline
The monthly contraction in the euro area was led by a steep 2.7% drop in automotive fuel sales at specialized stores, compounded by a 0.9% decline in non-food products excluding fuel. Food, drinks, and tobacco bucked the trend, rising 0.9%. Across the EU, fuel sales fell 2.4% and non-food products declined 1.2%, while food, drinks, and tobacco edged up 0.5%.
Member State Breakdown
Among EU member states with available data, Denmark recorded the sharpest monthly contraction, with total retail volumes plunging 4.5%, followed by Romania at minus 2.6%, and both Belgium and Slovakia posting declines of 1.8%.
On the brighter side, Lithuania led monthly gains at 1.9%, with Malta up 1.0% and France posting a modest 0.3% increase.
Annual Divergence Widens
Year-on-year, non-food products were the strongest performer in the euro area, rising 2.0%, while food, drinks, and tobacco grew 0.6%. Automotive fuel, however, remained a persistent drag, falling 3.5% annually. Across the EU, non-food products gained 1.8% annually and food edged up 0.2%, while fuel sales declined 2.0%.
Lithuania posted the highest annual increase in total retail trade volume at 8.9%, followed by Bulgaria at 7.4% and Luxembourg at 6.6%. At the other end of the spectrum, Romania recorded the steepest annual drop at 5.7%, with Belgium down 2.1% and Austria down 0.6%.
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