Retailers in the countries using the euro saw sales slip in November despite expectations for an increase in the run-up to the key holiday season.
The volume of retail trade in the euro zone slumped O.5% in November from October and dropped 1.4% over 12 months, the European Union's Eurostat data agency said. The result fell short of economists' expectations for retail sales to rise 0.5% over one month and by 0.3% over one year.
However, today's data does not include figures for euro zone heavyweights Germany and Italy as well as Ireland, Greece and the Netherlands.
The Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Malta joined the euro zone at the start of the year, swelling the ranks of the bloc to 15 members.
Retail sales in the 27-nation EU as a whole fell 0.2% in November over October and increased 0.9% over a year.
