The retail trade increased by 16.2% in Romania in June compared to the same month last year. It was the highest annual growth recorded by a EU member state, according to EU’s statistical office Eurostat.

In the Eurozone, retail trade went up by 1.6% year-on-year. A slightly higher advance was seen in the European Union, namely 2.4%.

The EU’s retail trade was influenced by the 3% growth in the sales of non-food products. The sales of food, beverages and tobacco rose by 1.6%. Fuel sales recorded a growth of 3.5%.

Lithuania recorded the second annual growth in retail trade, after Romania, amounting to 6.2%. Spain ranked third, with 5.8%. Belgium, Malta and Austria were the only EU countries which recorded drops in the retail trade in June.

Romania’s retail trade turnover went up by 16.8% (seasonally adjusted series) in the first half of this year compared to the same period of 2015. Food sales increased by 23.5%, non-food sales went up 15.1%, and fuel sales increased by 10.5%, according to the National Statistics Institute (INS). The increase was supported by lower VAT rate and higher salaries.

editor@romania-insider.com