Increase for retail trade in Europe overall

There was a 1.1 per cent increase in the volume of retail trade in the European Union in October 2003 compared to the same month in the previous year. According to Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, sales in the euro-zone remained on the same level as October 2002. Compared to September 2003, the sales index increased by 0.5 per cent in both zones. The highest growth rates were recorded by Finland, Sweden and Denmark when compared to the previous year. The strongest decreases were recorded in the Netherlands, Germany and Italy. Figures from the Acceding Countries are also included in the publication. Here the greatest dynamism is shown by Latvia and Lithuania, which have double-digit rates of growth.
You can find the varying rates of change for the retail trade in the individual Member States and in the Acceding Countries at DIYglobal plus under the heading of Countries + markets/Country facts and figures (v. Other articles on this topic).