'Black year' as retail sales for 2014 fall by 1.2%

(ANSA) - Rome, February 26 - Italian retailers suffered another "black" year in 2014 when retail sales fell by 1.2% compared with the previous year - the fourth consecutive year of falling sales, national statistical agency Istat said Thursday. In December alone, sales fell by 0.2% compared with November 2014, Istat said.
    The agency reported that weaker sales were spread across food stores as well as other kinds of retail outlets.
    On average for the quarter October through December 2014, the index decreased by 0.1% compared with the previous three-month period.
    Istat noted that in December, smaller stores were hit much harder than large retail chains.
    When compared with December 2013, big stores actually saw a jump in sales of 0.6% while smaller outlets reported sales that fell by 0.4%.