Considerable growth retail turnover in November

Retail turnover data have been adjusted for changes in the shopping-day pattern. Retail sales tend to vary by day. If the shopping-day pattern is not taken into account, retail turnover would have been about 7 percent higher than in November 2015.

Considerable turnover growth for non-food sector

Turnover was up by 4.1 percent in the non-food sector. Sales volume was 3.3 percent up on an annual basis. Just as in October, the highest turnover growth was achieved by clothes shops, DIY shops, kitchen design shops and flooring shops. Chemist shops, perfume shops, furniture shops, household appliances shops and shops selling recreational goods also performed well.

Turnover realised by traditional consumer electronics shops declined for the 16th month in a row. Shoe shops and shops selling leather products also suffered loss of turnover.

Sustained turnover growth for food shops

Shops selling food, drinks and tobacco had a 2.1 percent higher turnover. The volume of sales rose 0.8 percent in November. The turnover growth rate for supermarkets was 2.7 percent; turnover generated by specialist food shops fell by 1.2 percent.

Strong growth online turnover

Online turnover soared by 24.5 percent relative to November 2015. Web shops recorded a surge in turnover of 22.9 percent; their core activity is selling through the internet. Multi-channelers (retailers selling goods and services over the internet and in the traditional manner) realised a turnover growth of 26.6 percent.

Since October 2016, CBS has published monthly series of retail turnover data adjusted for shopping-day effects. In addition, CBS will publish seasonally adjusted turnover data on a quarterly basis. The figures included in this news release have been adjusted for shopping days, unless specifically stated otherwise.