Brussels: Eurozone retail sales rose for the third consecutive month in September, according to data released on Thursday. The volume of retail trade rose 0.5% month-on-month in the euro area, slowing from August's 1.1% rise, Eurostat data showed. Sales volumes fell 0.4% for food, drinks and tobacco, and increased 0.2% for automotive fuel. According to Anadolu Agency, on a yearly basis, retail sales in the euro area grew 2.9% in September. The eurozone/euro area, or EA19, represents member states that use the bloc's single currency, the euro, while the EU27 includes all of its member countries. For the EU, retail sales went up 0.3% on a monthly basis in September and 2.8% year-on-year. The largest monthly hikes in the total retail trade volume were seen in Belgium, Denmark and Croatia, all experiencing an increase of 2.1%, followed by Germany at 1.2%, and Austria and Slovakia, both reporting a 1.1% rise. Conversely, Slovenia, Poland, and Finland posted the largest monthly drops in retail sales, with decline s of 2.6%, 2.0%, and 1.6% respectively.