Croatia in September recorded the highest increase in the volume of retail trade of all EU member countries, after it was among countries which saw the biggest decline in August, show data published by the EU's statistical office Eurostat on Wednesday.

The seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade in Croatia in September was 2.6% up from the previous month, when it dropped by 1.1%.

Of the countries with a more significant increase in the volume of retail trade, Eurostat singles out Ireland, which recorded a 2.4% increase, while Portugal recorded the biggest drop, of 2.4%.

In the EU28, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade grew 0.2% from August, when it increased by 0.3%.

Higher sales of fuel, furniture and electric appliances compensated for a drop in the sale of medicines and medical equipment, computer equipment and books.

In the euro area, the volume of retail trade grew 0.1% after going up 0.6% in August.

The sale of pharmaceutical and medical products grew the most, offsetting a drop in the retail sale of computer equipment, books and clothing and footwear.

Volume of retail sales grows y-o-y

Year-on-year, the working-day adjusted volume of retail trade in the EU28 grew in September by 3.2%, after going up 2.8% in August.

In the euro area, the volume of retail trade grew 3.1% from September 2018, after going up 2.7% year-on-year in August.

The highest increase in the volume of retail trade in both the EU and the euro area was recorded in the category of postal and online orders, of 12% and 10.8% respectively.

The volume of retail trade grew the least in the category of pharmaceutical and medical products, by 1%. In the euro area, the volume of retail trade grew the least in the category of food, drinks and tobacco, by 1.3%.

In Croatia, the working-day adjusted volume of retail trade grew in September by 3.3% from the same month of 2018, after it went up 0.4% on the year in August.

Of the countries for which data were available, Romania saw the highest year-on-year increase in the volume of retail trade, of 7%, followed by Hungary, with 5.8%, and Ireland, with 5.2%.

Only Slovakia and Latvia recorded a decline in the volume of retail trade, of 2.7 and 0.4% respectively.