Retail trade generates more turnover in April

Dutch retailers generated 5.0 percent more turnover in April this year than they did in April 2005. It was the ninth month in a row that retail turnover was higher than in the corresponding month of the previous year. Prices in April were slightly higher than the year before, while the turnover volume was up by 4.6 percent.

Retailers in non-food performed well in April 2006. Their turnover was 6.6 percent higher than last year. Non-food products were slightly cheaper than in April 2005.

The turnover trend in the food sector lagged somewhat behind that in the non-food retail trade. These retailers generated 2.5 percent more turnover than in April 2005. Food became 1.5 percent more expensive than in April 2005.

Turnover developments in the retail stores, corrected for price changes, provide a first indication of the volume changes of household consumption expenditure. About one third of domestic consumption expenditure consists of goods purchased mainly in retail stores.

Turnover in retail trade