BRUSSELS (AFP) -- Eurozone retailers saw their sales grow 0.3 percent in December from November and 2.1 percent over one year, the European Union's Eurostat data agency said.

The result fell short of expectations by private economists for retail sales to grow 1.0 percent over one month and 2.3 percent over one year.

In November retail sales grew 0.5 percent over one month and 1.4 percent over one year.

The December data brought the increase for the whole of 2006 to 1.4 percent from 2005, Eurostat said.

Retail sales were stronger in December in the broader European Union, which saw the volume of retail trade grow 0.7 percent over one month and 3.3 percent over one year.

Slovenia became the thirteenth member of the eurozone in January while Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU, bringing its ranks to 27.