Turnover retail sector almost 3 percent up

Dutch retailers realised an almost 3 percent higher turnover in April 2007 than in April last year. Prices were 2 percent higher. Turnover volume rose by less than 1 percent on one year previously.

April’s turnover increase was obviously smaller than in the first quarter, when turnover grew by 5 percent. The less favourable shopping day pattern in April 2007compared to April last year had a negative effect on turnover in April.

The increase in turnover in April is due to non‑food shops. The non-food sector sold over 5 percent more than in April 2006. Clothes shops and textile supermarkets in particular performed well. Their turnover increased by more than 13 percent. It appears that April’s mild weather conditions have prompted consumers to buy summer clothes. Consumer electronics and home furnishing shops, on the other hand, faced loss of turnover, whereas they recorded robust growth figures in the preceding months.

In contrast to the non-food sector, turnover of shops selling food, drinks and tobacco declined by 2 percent. Supermarkets performed not as bad as specialist shops, which have been struggling for some time with loss of turnover. In April 2007 they recorded a turnover loss of nearly 4 percent relative to twelve months ago.