Romania recorded the fifth highest annual growth in retail sales among the EU countries in April. This amounted to 5.6% whereas the average growth in the EU reached 3% in April, according to EU’s statistical office Eurostat.

Higher increases in retail sales were recorded in April in Luxembourg (11.3%), Slovenia (10.4%), Ireland (8.4%), and Slovakia (7.1%). Belgium, on the other hand, saw a 0.8% decline in retail sales.

In the euro-area, retail sales rose by 2.5% in annual terms in April.

Compared to March, retail sales fell by 0.2% in Romania in April, while they increased by 0.5% in the EU and by 0.1% in the Eurozone. The highest monthly increases took place in the UK (2.8%), Finland (2%), Portugal and Sweden (1.5%) whereas the largest decreases were seen in Croatia (-2.1%), Austria (-1.2%) and Hungary (-0.8%).

The growth rate in Romania’s retail trade turnover has slowed down significantly in recent months, from double-digit levels last year. The food, beverages and tobacco sales were almost unchanged in April compared to the same month of 2016. Non-food sales went up by 9.7% year-on-year, in seasonally adjusted terms, and fuel sales increased by 7.9%.

In the first four months of this year, the retail trade turnover was up 7%.

Retail sales growth continues to slow down in Romania

editor@romania-insider.com