Mubasher: Retail sales across the euro area (EA19) were unchanged in September from a month earlier, but decreased by 0.1% in the European Union (EU28), the Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office said on Wednesday.

“In August, the retail trade volume increased by 0.3% both in the euro area and in the EU28,” the report said.

Compared to the same period last year, the calendar adjusted retail sales index grew 0.8% in September in the euro area and by 1.5% in the EU 28.

Month-on-month, retail trade volume added 0.4% in the food, drinks, and tobacco, and the automotive fuel segments, whereas the non-food products segment fell 0.5% in September 2018.

In the EU28, the retail trade volume was up 0.8% for automotive fuels and 0.1% for foods, drinks and tobacco, while non-food products decreased 0.3%.

In terms of member states, Ireland registered the highest total retail trade volume with an increase of 2.9%, followed by Latvia with 1.5% and Estonia with 1.4%.

On the other hand, Portugal logged the sharpest drop in retail trade volume with 1.7%, followed by Austria with 1.0%, while Belgium and the UK saw declines of 0.8%, each.