Again lower turnovers in retail trade

In 2004 turnover in the Dutch retail trade was down by 2.1 percent on 2003. It is the second year in a row that the turnover of retailers fell. The prices in the shops were 1.5 percent lower than in 2003. The turnover volume fell by 0.5 percent, according to the latest figures by Statistics Netherlands. Turnover loss occurred in the food and non-food sectors.

Small decrease in turnover in the food sector

In 2004 shops selling food, beverages and tobacco saw their turnover fall by 0.7 percent on 2003. The prices in the food sector were down by 1.9 percent due to the supermarket price wars. On balance, turnover volume increased by 1.3 percent. The food sector is dominated by supermarkets, which have about 80 percent of total turnover. In 2004 the turnover of the supermarkets was about the same as in 2003. Specialist stores such as greengrocers, butchers and liquor stores, however, lost 4.5 percent in turnover. 

Turnover still decreasing in the non-food sector

Compared to the year 2003, turnover in the Dutch non-food sector fell by 2.9 percent in 2004. Turnover in non-food already decreased in 2003. In 2004 the turnover volume was down by 1.7 percent on 2003. Consumer electronics saw the greatest loss in turnover of all branches in non-food: down by 7.5 percent on 2003. In 2003 the turnover in consumer electronics had fallen by 4 percent already. Two years earlier it still showed a 6 percent turnover increase. Also DIY stores, home furnishings and clothing stores saw a substantial drop in turnover in 2004. On the other hand, there was a modest turnover increase in drugstores and shops in household articles. 

Modest increase in turnover in December

In December 2004 Dutch retail trade increased its turnover by 1 percent on December 2003. In the food sector the turnover in December was up by 5.6 percent, while turnover in non-food was up by1.6 percent on December 2003. The turnover development in December was positively influenced by the difference in shopping day patterns between December 2004 and December 2003.

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