Retail turnover 4 percent down

• Unfavourable shopping-day pattern has downward effect on retail sales
• Declining sales non-food sector
• Soaring sales mail-order firms and online shops

Retail sales were 4 percent down in July 2012 from the same month last year. Retail prices rose by 1.7 percent, the volume of sales shrank by 5.6 percent, according to the most recent figures released by Statistics Netherlands.

The unfavourable shopping-day pattern compared to July 2011 had a negative impact on retail turnover. After correction for shopping days , the turnover decline was nearly 1 percent. Retail volume contracted by more than 2 percent.

Sales in the non-food sector fell by nearly 7 percent relative to July 2011. Only chemist’s shops realised a higher turnover in July. Turnover declined in all other non-food branches. In home furnishing shops, clothes shops and consumer electronics shops sales dropped dramatically.

Shops selling food, drinks and tobacco had a turnover loss of more than 1 percent compared to one year previously, predominantly caused by the less favourable shopping-day pattern. If the effects of the shopping-day pattern are eliminated, sales improved by more than 4 percent.

Mail-order firms and online shops realised a turnover growth by 13 percent, the most substantial growth since January 2011. Petrol stations faced a turnover loss of more than 3 percent.