According to the preliminary estimates released on 5 September by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union (EU), retail sales in Europe stabilized in July 2024, while Croatia recorded the strongest retail sales growth, with a 2.9% increase when compared to June, in which it had recorded a 2.7% decrease in sales, Croatian media report. This was the highest growth rate since May 2021.Eurostat data showed that in the eurozone, seasonally adjusted retail sales rose by 0.1% in July compared to the previous month, when they had fallen by 0.4%. Similarly, in the EU, retail sales saw a 0.2% monthly increase in July, following a 0.4% decline in June, according to the updated figures.In July, the largest retail sales growth was observed in the food, beverages, and tobacco sectors, with an increase of 0.4% in the eurozone and 0.5% in the EU, according to Eurostat. Non-food product stores also experienced a modest rise, with sales increasing by 0.1% in the eurozone and 0.2% in the EU. However, the only significant decline occurred at fuel stations, where sales fell by 1% in the eurozone and by 1.4% in the EU.Eurostat data showed that Croatia in July recorded the strongest retail sales growth in Europe, with a 2.9% increase compared to June, when sales had declined by 2.7%, making it the highest growth rate since May 2021.Austria and Slovakia followed closely with retail sales growth of 1.8%, while Slovenia experienced a 1.6% increase. Meanwhile, Luxembourg suffered the largest monthly sales decline, down by 2.1%, with Romania and Cyprus following with decreases of 1.8% and 1.1%, respectively, while data for the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and Greece were unavailable. (ICE ZAGABRIA)

Fonte notizia: HRT and Poslovni.hr online edition 05/09/2024