eurozone retail sales fell slightly in august as high inflation squeezes household incomes and recession fears rise the volume of retail sales declined by 03 on month in august data from the european unions statistics agency eurostat showed thursday economists polled by the wall street journal had forecast a 04 drop in retail sales the volume of retail trade was down 08 for food drinks and tobacco while it was up by 02 for nonfood products and by 32 for automotive fuels eurostat data showed in july retail sales fell by a revised 04 on month instead of increasing by 03 as previously estimated on an annual basis the volume of retail sales in august was down 20 eurostat said the outlook for eurozone retail sales remains bleak on downbeat consumer confidence and constrained household finances economists say