Retail turnover growth 2.6 percent

• Higher prices largely account for turnover growth in 2008
• Robust turnover growth supermarkets
• Turnover growth non-food sector virtually comes to a standstill in 2008

According to figures released by Statistics Netherlandss, retail turnover rose by 2.6 percent in 2008 relative to 2007. Higher prices almost entirely accounted for the increase. Turnover volume improved marginally.

Supermarkets realised a turnover growth of 7.5 percent. Turnover volume increased by 2.5 percent, supermarket prices rose by 4.9 percent. Within the food sector, the share of supermarkets has risen to 86 percent. Turnover in the non-food sector hardly improved in 2008.

In December 2008, retailers achieved a turnover growth of just over 2 percent relative to the same month one year ago. Supermarkets performed well. Turnover in the non-food sector remained stable. Most branches in the non-food sector faced loss of turnover in December except opticians, who doubled their turnover relative to one year previously due to the introduction of new tax rules on 1 January 2009.