Euro-area retailers sold 0.7 percent less by volume in September than in August, according to Eurostat’s first estimate. The European Union measure fell 0.6 percent. Both aggregates had risen 0.4 percent in August in the latest release.

Non-food sales excluding fuel recorded the largest monthly decline among the broad categories reported for the euro area, at 1.2 percent. Food, drinks and tobacco fell 0.3 percent, while automotive fuel sold in specialized stores increased 1.0 percent. Germany’s overall retail volume dropped 2.0 percent.

The monthly setback did not erase year-over-year gains. September’s calendar-adjusted index was 0.4 percent above its year-earlier level in the euro area and 0.9 percent higher across the EU. The figures track sales volume rather than the amount shoppers paid at the till.