According to the data, Spanish retail sales declined in the month of November at the steepest rate since May in calendar-adjusted terms, as falling customer demand showed little sign of perking up.

Country’s retail sales have dropped by 5.5% year-on-year in the month of November in calendar-adjusted terms as compared with a 2.7% year-on-year decline in the month of October and a record 9.1% fall in February this year.

Adjusting only for inflation, retail sales came down by 4.3% year-on-year, hitting the 19th successive month of shrinkage for that measure.

According to the data revealed by the government, Spanish retail sales dropped 3.9 percent year-on-year in inflation-adjusted terms in October.

The numbers compared with a 3.4% year-on-year decline in Sep 2009, but was still well away from near double digit falls witnessed at the starting of the year.

While talking to reporters, Etefania Ponte from BNP Paribas Fortis said," Against a negative background, this confirms that private consumption touched bottom in the second quarter. With unemployment at around 17 percent it's difficult for private consumption to pick up."