Retail turnover up in March

• Favourable shopping-day pattern pushes up turnover
• Higher prices, smaller volume

According to figures released by Statistics Netherlands today, Dutch retail turnover was 2.2 percent higher in March 2012 than in the same month last year. Prices were 2.7 percent higher while, the volume of sales was 0.5 percent smaller.

The shopping day pattern was favourable in March 2012 compared with twelve months previously. This had a positive effect of an estimated 3 percent on the development of turnover and volume.

Turnover in non-food shops was about 1 percent higher than in March last year. This was completely accounted for by higher prices. Shops selling consumer electronics and especially those selling clothes reported the largest increases in turnover. Turnover of do-it-yourself stores and shops selling home furnishings was lower, just as in previous months.

Shops selling food, drink and tobacco realised nearly 5 percent more turnover. The volume was just over 2 percent larger. Supermarkets in particular realised higher turnover in March. Mail order companies and web shops realised 2 percent more turnover. Higher prices pushed up turnover of petrol stations by nearly 1 percent.

In the first quarter of 2012, retail turnover was just over 1 percent higher than in the same period last year. Higher turnover of food shops, especially supermarkets, accounted for this entire increase. The increase in turnover of non-food shops was not enough to prevent a decrease in turnover in the first quarter.