Euro zone retail trade increased in December mostly thanks to Christmas shopping of food, drinks and tobacco, the European Union statistics office Eurostat has estimated.
Sales in the euro zone grew on average 0.3% in December on a monthly basis, as expected by economists polled by Reuters.
Retail trade increased 1.4% year-on-year, slightly less than the forecast 1.5%.
Eurostat revised upwards both monthly and yearly estimates for the month of November.
Month-on-month euro zone sales have been flat in November, contrary to previous estimates of a 0.3% drop.
Year-on-year sales recorded in November a 1.6% rise, more than the previously estimated 1.4%. In December, sales increased mostly for food, drinks and tobacco products, which recorded a 0.6% monthly rise.
A broader category of items including electrical equipment, clothes and drugs also saw a 0.2% increase of sales. The trade of motor fuels declined instead by 0.1% month-on-month.
