Eurozone retail sales unexpectedly shrink 0.3 percent in June

According to official data from the European Union's statistics agency, Eurostat, released Thursday, August 6, 2026 (15 Mordad 1405), eurozone retail sales unexpectedly fell 0.3 percent in June from May, against economist expectations of a 0.1 percent rise. Sales had increased 0.4 percent in May. Sales of food, drinks and tobacco fell 0.5 percent and non-food products slid 0.4 percent, while sales of automotive fuel in specialized stores rose 1.5 percent. On a yearly basis, retail sales grew 0.7 percent, weaker than the prior month's 1.9 percent increase and economists' forecast of 1.0 percent growth. Across the European Union, retail sales edged down 0.1 percent monthly but rose 1.2 percent from a year earlier. The largest monthly declines were in Finland, Romania and Germany, while Luxembourg, Portugal, Croatia and Sweden posted the largest increases. ING economist Peter Vanden Houte said the data confirmed consumption was not a major driver of growth in the second quarter.