Spain stood out in November as the European Union’s retail trade volume climbed the most, rising 3.6 percent from October, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office. The month showcased a clear upward momentum across several markets, signaling resilience in consumer activity as the autumn season progressed. This regional surge helped temper concerns about slowing growth and highlighted Spain’s improving momentum in household spending and retail performance.
Poland 2.6 percent and Sweden 2.3 percent followed Spain, while Luxembourg contracted by 2 percent and France and Croatia each fell by 1 percent, marking the most pronounced declines in that period. While the gains in some member states reflected renewed consumer confidence and payroll dynamics, the mixed results underscored the uneven recovery across the bloc as price pressures and inflation influenced purchasing behavior in different economies.
This seasonally adjusted retail trade volume across the European Union rose 0.9 percent in November compared with October, and 0.8 percent in the euro area. In year-over-year terms, however, retail activity was softer, with a 2.8 percent decrease in the euro area and a 2.4 percent drop across the EU in November 2022, reflecting ongoing post-pandemic adjustment and energy price effects that shaped shopping patterns earlier in the year.
Within the euro area, the month showed a split between product categories: non-food goods rose by 1.6 percent, while automobile fuel increased by 1 percent. In contrast, there was a 1 percent decline in food, beverages and tobacco, suggesting shifting consumption priorities as households faced varying price pressures and seasonal shopping dynamics.
For the 27 member states, the non-food sector recorded a 1.6 percent rise. The gains in automobile fuels were more modest at 0.8 percent, and the decline in food, beverages and tobacco persisted at around 0.6 percent, reflecting continuing dietary adjustments and changes in consumer demand across different markets.