Poland bucked the European trend in April with a 0.3 percent m/m fall in retail trade. Meanwhile, according to Eurostat data, the figure increased by 0.2 and 0.5 percent in the eurozone and the EU27, respectively.

Ireneusz Jabłonski, Deputy President of the Adam Smith Research Centre think-tank, said the decline likely reflected a seasonal trend. “Easter fell in April this year, and that might have had an effect on retail trading in the country,” he told WBJ.pl. “The period is always slow for the Polish retail industry.”

The largest economy in the CEE region was ranked fourth worst in retail trade growth after Romania, with a 1 percent fall the same period, and Bulgaria and Estonia, which both recorded 0.9 percent declines.

Finland and Sweden, with increases of 7.6 and 3.4 percent, respectively, saw the highest increases in m/m trade.

On the other hand, Poland's retail trade increased by 1.2 percent y/y in April, far exceeding the eurozone and EU27 figures of -2.3 percent and -1.4 percent, respectively.

Just a few days earlier, Poland's economy was ranked the top EU performer in terms of Q1 GDP growth with 1.9 percent.

“I am confident that the situation will improve [for Poland] over the next few months, when the holidays start and people start regaining their purchasing power” Jabłonski said. “After all Poland's economy is one of the strongest in Europe.”