Rome, June 8, (dpa-AFX/GNA) – Italian retail sales dropped for the first time in three months in April, on falling non-food product sales, data from the statistical office Istat showed on Tuesday.
The retail sales value decreased 0.4 percent on a monthly basis, after staying flat in March. This was the first decrease in three months.
On a yearly basis, retail sales value growth accelerated to 30.4 percent from 23.5 percent in the previous month. Food sales were up 1 percent, while non-food product sales dropped 1.5 percent on the month.
In volume terms, retail sales dropped 0.5 percent on the month in April, reversing a 0.1-percent rise in March. Annual growth surged to 31.5 percent, from 24.2 percent a month ago.
GNA