Retail turnover up in July

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  • Consumers buy more products, prices continue to fall
  • Non-food shops recover from June dip
  • Turnover of home furnishing stores higher for first time in three years

According to figures released by Statistics Netherlands today, Dutch retail turnover was 0.7 percent higher in July than in the same month last year. The turnover increase was the result of consumers buying more products (larger volume).  Prices fell slightly more strongly than in previous months.  Consumers spent more money in shops selling food, drink and tobacco, non-food shops reported slightly lower turnover.  The turnover rise was also partly caused by the slightly more favourable shopping day pattern in July this year compared with the same month last year. 

Turnover of non-food shops slightly lower in July

Non-food shops realised 0.4 percent less turnover than in July last year. The turnover fall in June - the first for six months - was much larger. With the exception of do-it-yourself stores, all non-food branches performed better in July than in June, although some reported a lower turnover than twelve months previously.  The improvement in the non-food sector was caused mainly by the slightly larger volume of sales than last year. In June the volume had still decreased substantially. Product prices fell by more than in previous months; Statistics Netherlands recently reported that among other things clothes prices had been reduced by more in the summer sales than in July last year. 

Home furnishing shops record first turnover rise for three years

For the first time in three years, shops selling home furnishing items reported higher turnover than in the same month last year. This may be related to the recent recovery on the housing market.  It is quite usual in this branch for customers to order products and only pay the complete amount for them some time later, when they are delivered. Shops record turnover on these items at the moment of delivery.

Turnover for food, drink and tobacco shops higher again

Shops selling food, drink and tobacco increased turnover by 2.6 percent compared with July last year. In this branch, too, prices continued to fall, and the turnover increase was the result of consumers buying more products. Turnover increased more for supermarkets than for specialist shops.