Modest growth for retail turnover

• Retail turnover volume hardly up
• Supermarket turnover continues strong rise

According to figures from Statistics Netherlands, Dutch retailers realised a modest increase in turnover in the third quarter of this year. Turnover was 2.5 percent higher than in the same quarter last year. The third quarter increase was mainly the result of higher prices. The volume of sales hardly rose.

Shops in the food, drink and tobacco sector booked substantially more turnover in the third quarter of 2008. These shops realised 6 percent more turnover than in the same period twelve months previously. The growth was mainly the result of higher prices. In the food sector, supermarkets realised the highest gains. Their turnover was nearly 8 percent higher than twelve months previously. In the first two quarters of 2008, too, supermarkets realised substantial turnover increases.

For shops in the non-food sector turnover rose more modestly in the third quarter compared with last year. Shops selling household articles reported the highest growth: 6 percent. For stores selling consumer electronics on the other hand turnover was nearly 2 percent down on the figure twelve months ago.