Retail turnover up by nearly 2 percent

According to figures from Statistics Netherlands, turnover in the retail trade was 1.9 percent higher in May this year than in the same month last year. This is mainly the result of higher prices. The volume of turnover was about the same as twelve months previously. The turnover growth in May was clearly smaller than in the first months of this year. This is mainly because turnover was high in May last year.

Turnover slightly higher for non-food

In May 2007 the turnover in the non-food sector was 0.5 percent higher than one year previously. Prices in non-food shops were 2.0 percent higher. The volume of turnover was 1.5 percent smaller than twelve months previously. The increase in May 2007 was smaller than in previous months, partly because of the higher turnover that shops realised in May last year.

Stores selling consumer electronics booked the highest turnover growth in non-food in May 2007. Turnover in these shops rose by 6.5 percent compared with the same month last year. In April computer electronics retailers had a lower turnover than twelve months previously.

The only non-food branch which booked a lower turnover was clothes shops. In March and April this year they realised the highest growth rates in non-food. It seems as if the warm and sunny weather in March and April brought forward spring sales.

Considerable increase for food sector

Shops selling food, drink and tobacco realised just over 4 percent more turnover in May 2007 than in the previous year. Prices rose by just over 1 percent, the volume rose by nearly 3 percent. Supermarkets in particular realised a higher turnover than twelve months previously.