June average month for retail sector

•  Turnover non-food sector substantially down in June
•  Whitsun weekend shopping positive for food, drink and tobacco shops

Statistics Netherlands announced today that retail turnover was 1.9 percent down in June 2014 from the same month last year. Sales were down and retail prices also fell marginally. Non-food sales slumped, but food, drink and tobacco shops performed better than one year previously. The shopping-day pattern was less favourable, which largely accounted for the downturn. Despite the downturn in June, turnover realised in the second quarter was still nearly 1 percent higher than in the same quarter last year; on a quarterly basis, this was the first growth recorded in twenty-four months.

Negative turnover results for non-food sector over first six months of 2014

After five months of growth, non-food shops reported a dramatic downturn in June. Turnover and volume were nearly 5 and approximately 4 percent down from last year. Clothing shops, home furnishing shops, consumer electronics shops and household appliances shops faced substantial turnover loss as consumer spending in these types of shops fell by 4 to 7 percent. Chemist’s shops performed better than in June last year. DIY shops broke even in June.

Whitsun boosts turnover food, drink and tobacco shops

Food, drinks and tobacco shops showed the same growth figures in June as in the preceding months. Despite the less favourable shopping-day pattern, turnover grew by approximately 1 percent. Partly due to the Whitsun weekend, supermarkets and specialist shops showed better turnover results. This year, shopping for Whit Sunday and Whit Monday was done June and last year in May.