Retail sales in Croatia fell by 0.3 percent in January 2021 year-on-year, although they increased 4.2 percent month-on-month, according to figures released by the state statistics bureau on Friday.

It was the 11th straight month in a row that the volume of retail trade declined due to the coronavirus crisis, albeit at a slower rate than in previous months. It was the lowest year-on-year decrease since March 2020. In December 2020, it fell by 3.2 percent.

Analysts at Raiffeisenbank Austria (RBA) said they expected retail sales to increase at a rate of 4.5 percent this year on the back of the improving pandemic situation, the accelerated rate of mass vaccination, and the summer tourist season.