Retail trade in Bulgaria rose 4.9% year-on-year in August 2013 – Eurostat
Bulgaria was among European Union states to see the highest increases in retail trade year-on-year in August 2013, at 4.9 per cent higher than in August 2012, according to figures released on October 3 by EU statistics office Eurostat.
In August 2013 compared with July 2013, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade increased by 0.7 per cent in the euro zone and by 0.4 per cent in 28 member states of the EU, according to estimates from Eurostat. In July, retail trade gained 0.5 per cent in both zones.
In August 2013 compared with August 2012, the retail sales index fell by 0.3 per cent in the euro area and rose by 0.3 per cent in the EU28.
In terms of monthly comparisons, in August 2013 compared with July 2013, “Food, drinks and tobacco” fell by 0.4 per cent in the euro area and by 0.6 per cent in the EU28. The non-food sector increased by 0.6 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively.
Among the EU countries for which data are available, total retail trade rose in 14, fell in six and remained stable in one, Denmark.
The highest increases were registered in Portugal (+4.8 per cent), Spain (+3.8 per cent) and Slovenia (+3.2 per cent), and the largest decreases in Luxembourg (-1.4 per cent), the United Kingdom (-1.1 per cent) and Belgium (-0.9 per cent).
In terms of annual comparisons, August 2013 compared with August 2012, “Food, drinks and tobacco” fell by 0.7 per cent in the euro area and by 0.5 per cent in the EU28.
The non-food sector decreased by 0.5 per cent in the euro area, but rose by 0.7 per cent in the EU28.
Among EU countries for which data are available, total retail trade fell in seven and rose in 14. The largest decreases were observed in Spain (-6 per cent), Slovenia (-2.8 per cent) and Denmark (-0.7 per cent), and the highest increases in Luxembourg (+15.3 per cent), Lithuania (+6.1 per cent) and Bulgaria (+4.9 per cent).
