Retail turnover further down

• Turnover food sector down
• Chemist shops and textile supermarkets achieve better results

The most recent figures released by Statistics Netherlands show that in January 2010, retail turnover dropped by 4.9 percent relative to January 2009. Turnover volume declined by 6.2 percent. Retail prices were raised by 1.4 percent, mainly due to higher fuel prices.

January’s retail turnover was affected negatively by the shopping-day pattern. After correction for this effect, turnover growth was approximately -1 percent.

Food, drinks and tobacco shops faced loss of turnover by more than 5 percent in January 2010 compared to the same month in 2009. Supermarkets lost nearly 5 percent. After correction for the number of shopping days, the level of turnover of these shops was almost the same as one year previously. Turnover of specialised shops plummeted by 11 percent relative to January 2009.

Just like in the preceding months, turnover in the non-food sector declined in January. The decline was more than 6 percent relative to January 2009. Clothes shops and DIY shops suffered notably from loss of turnover (more than 8 percent in both branches), but chemist shops and textile supermarkets performed better than in January 2009.

Petrol stations realised a turnover growth by more than 4 percent in January, which was entirely attributable to higher fuel prices.