Retail sales down almost everywhere in Europe

According to an Eurostat estimate, retail sales continued to drop in the EU in December 2008. Sales were down by 0.8 percent in the EU-27 countries on average and by 1.6 percent inside the EUR zone, compared to December 2007. Retail sales were up by 0.1 percent in the EU on average in 2008 and down by 1.4 percent in the EUR zone. Latvia produced the biggest drop in December (16.9 percent) while Poland produced the biggest rise (4.6 percent).