Retail sector faces substantial turnover loss

Dutch retailers suffered a 4 percent turnover loss in July relative to July 2011. Retail prices were nearly 2 percent higher; the volume of retail sales was nearly 6 percent down from twelve months previously.

Retail turnover is affected by the shopping-day pattern. With a Friday and Saturday less and a Monday and Tuesday more, the shopping-day pattern in July 2012 was obviously less favourable than in July 2011. The negative effect on sales is estimated at approximately 3 percent.

With a 7 percent decline, the non-food sector faced the most substantial turnover loss. Consumer electronics shops, home furnishing shops and clothes shops struggled most. DIY shops, textile supermarkets and household appliances shops also grappled with declining sales, though to a lesser extent. Within the food sector, only chemist’s shops achieved turnover growth.

Turnover generated by food, drinks and tobacco shops fell by more than 1 percent. Petrol stations lost over 3 percent turnover. Mail-order firms and online shops, on the other hand, realised a substantially turnover relative to July 2011 (+13 percent).

Shops in the non-food sector generated 47 percent of total retail turnover last year. Shops selling food, drinks and tobacco and petrol stations accounted for 36 and 12 percent respectively. Retailers who do not operate from shops, e.g. market traders, mail-order firms and online shops, accounted for the remaining 5 percent of retail turnover.

Retail turnover

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.

For more information on economic indicators, the reader is referred to the Economic Monitor.