The volume of retail trade in the euro area and the EU in June has slightly declined with Croatia being among countries with a more pronounced decline that was significantly higher than the EU average, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

In June 2023, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade in the euro area was down 0.3% compared to May 2023, when it rose by 0.6%, Eurostat said.

The volume of retail trade in the EU in June was down 0.2% from May when it increased by 0.3%.

Croatia next to Estonia

Among the member countries for which data was available to Eurostat, retail trade on the month fell the most in Slovenia, by 2.6%.

Romania and Portugal follow, with a drop in retail trade by 1.9 and 1.6%, respectively.

Croatia is also in the group with a 1.2% decrease in retail sales in June.

Close to Croatia is Estonia with a 1.1% drop in retail trade in June compared to the previous month.

In June, retail sales increased the most in Luxembourg, by 2.6%.

The Netherlands and Belgium follow with sales growth of 1.5 and 1.2%, respectively.

Eurostat did not have data for the Czech Republic and Greece.

People buy less food

On an annual level, seasonally adjusted retail sales in eurozone fell by 1.4% in June, after a 2.4% decline in the previous month.

In the EU, it decreased by 1.6%, after a 2.6% drop in May.

The volume of retail trade in food, beverage and tobacco contracted the most in both areas in June, by 3.5% in the eurozone and by 3.6% in the EU.

The volume of retail trade at  at gas stations also decreased slightly, by 0.4% in the euro area and by 1.3% in the EU.

Sharp decline in Slovenia

Among the EU countries for which data are available, the volume of retail trade in Slovenia fell by 15.7% in June on the year.

Estonia and Hungary follow, with a drop of 8.7 and 8.3%, respectively.

In June, retail sales in Croatia decreased by two percent compared to the same month last year, twice as much as in May.

Close to Croatia in June was Germany with a 1.8% drop.

Retail sales in Luxembourg increased the most, by 2.6%.

The Netherlands and Belgium follow with sales growth of 1.5 and 1.2%, respectively.