Romania records fifth highest growth in retail sales in EU in April

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