In December, the euro area experienced a contraction in volume retail trade of 2.7 percent, following a 1.2 percent rise in November. Compared with December 2021, activity was down by 2.8 percent. Across the whole of 2022, eurostat data show an average monthly increase of 0.7 percent in retail trade volume, reflecting a gradual improvement but with notable month-to-month volatility.
Within the 27 member states, retail trade volume declined by 2.6 percent in December versus the preceding month. The month also saw a year-on-year pattern of growth and decline, with a 1.2 percent month-on-month rise and a 2.5 percent drop on an annual basis. For the full year, a modest 1.1 percent average increase in retail trade volume was recorded, signaling some recovery despite uneven quarterly results.
Turning to sector detail in the euro area, December data show that food, beverages and tobacco fell 2.9 percent on the month, while non-food products slipped 2.6 percent. In contrast, automotive fuels rose by 2.3 percent, reflecting shifts in consumer behavior and energy pricing that month.
Across the European Union, the picture mirrors euro area dynamics with a 2.9 percent monthly drop in food, beverages and tobacco and a 2.8 percent fall in non-food categories. Automotive fuels again showed resilience, increasing by 2.3 percent, highlighting the ongoing impact of fuel prices on retail patterns across the bloc.
The country breakdown for the largest monthly decreases in total retail trade volume, where data are available, shows the Netherlands experiencing a 6.3 percent decline, followed by Germany at 5.3 percent and Luxembourg at 3.8 percent. On the other hand, Slovakia led with a 2.3 percent rise, followed by Austria at 1.6 percent and Romania at 1.3 percent, illustrating divergent performance within the union.
When comparing December 2021 with December 2022, the euro area saw a 6.9 percent drop in volume for food, beverages and tobacco, while non-food products decreased by 0.6 percent. Automotive fuels, by contrast, grew by 6 percent, signaling strong energy-related adjustments and consumer response to price changes during the year-end period.
For the entire European Union, the annual trend shows a 6.6 percent decrease in food, beverages and tobacco, a 0.9 percent fall in non-food products, but a robust 7.3 percent rise in automotive fuels, underscoring the persistent influence of energy costs on shopping behavior across member states.
Within individual EU members, the most pronounced annual declines in total retail trade volume occurred in Belgium at 9.2 percent, Denmark at 8.4 percent, and Sweden at 7.1 percent. In contrast, Malta posted a notable 7.1 percent increase, followed by Romania at 5.3 percent and Spain at 4.6 percent, pointing to a patchwork of outcomes across the region.