Modest growth retail turnover

• Supermarkets benefit from favourable shopping-day pattern
• Turnover non-food sector 1 percent down

The most recent figures released by Statistics Netherlands show that retail turnover growth was 1.6 percent in May relative to May 2011. Retail prices were 1.8 percent higher, retail volume shrank 0.2 percent. 

May’s shopping-day pattern had a positive effect on retail turnover in the food as well as in the non-food sector. 

Food, drinks and tobacco shops realised a turnover growth by approximatetly 6 percent. With a 7 percent higher turnover, supermarkets accounted entirely for the turnover growth. The monthly number of shopping days has a strong effect on supermarket sales. After correction for this effect, supermarket sales were nearly 2 percent up from one year previously.

Despite the higher number of shopping days in May, the non-food sector faced a turnover loss of approximately 1 percent. Home furnishing shops, DIY shops and textile supermarkets were faced with declining sales in May relative to May last year. After turnover loss in April, clothes shops, household appliances shops and chemist’s shops achieved turnover growth in May. Consumer electronics shops managed to realise the same level of turnover growth as in April.

Mail-order firms and online shops generated a turnover growth of nearly 8 percent in May compared to the same month last year, but petrol stations lost 1 percent turnover despite higher fuel prices.