Euro-zone retail sales fall 0.2 percent in June

Euro retail sales fall 0.2 pct in June

BRUSSELS — The European Union says retail sales in the 16 nations that use the euro fell 0.2 percent in June from a month earlier, showing that consumers are wary of spending as unemployment hits a 10-year high.

Shoppers cut back spending both on daily essentials such as food, drink and tobacco and on non-food items such as clothing, electronics and medicines.

Retail sales slumped by 2.4 percent in June from the same month last year.