Retail turnover almost 6 percent up in September
Retail turnover data have been adjusted for changes in the shopping-day pattern. Retail sales tend to vary from one day to the next. If the shopping-day pattern is not taken into account, retail turnover in September was nearly 7 percent higher than in the same month last year.
Turnover growth non-food sector over 7 percent
Turnover in the non-food sector rose by over 7 percent in September. The volume of sales (adjusted for price changes) was nearly 8 percent up year-on-year. For nine consecutive months, both turnover and volume of sales have seen an upward trend in the non-food sector.
Shops selling clothing, footwear and leather products saw the most substantial turnover increase within the non-food sector. This was mainly related to weather conditions. Last year, September was relatively mild and dry, whereas this year it was relatively cool and wet. Consequently, consumers bought more clothes and shoes in the month of September as opposed to last year, when (some of) these purchases were postponed because of the mild weather.
Turnover was up at shops selling furniture, household articles, personal care products, DIY products, kitchens, flooring and consumer electronics. On the other hand, turnover generated by shops selling recreational goods decreased slightly.
| August 2017 | September 2017 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total food | 2.6 | 2.2 |
| Supermarkets | 2.8 | 2.2 |
| Specialised shops selling food | 1.1 | 2.1 |
| Total non-food | 4.3 | 7.3 |
| Footwear and leather goods | 3.9 | 20.3 |
| Clothing | 3.5 | 11 |
| Furniture, household articles | 5.7 | 8.7 |
| Drug stores, perfume shops | 3.9 | 5.9 |
| DIY shops, kitchens, floors | 8.2 | 5.4 |
| Consumer electronics | -2.8 | 0.4 |
| Recreation goods | 2.8 | -0.1 |
Over 2 percent higher turnover for food sector
Shops selling food, beverages and tobacco achieved over 2 percent turnover growth in September, although the volume of sales decreased by almost 1 percent. Both supermarkets and specialist shops saw roughly the same development in turnover (up by 2 percent) and volume of sales (down by almost 1 percent).
Online shops realise over 23 percent turnover growth
In September, online shops saw their turnover go up by more than 23 percent year-on-year. Web shops recorded a turnover increase of almost 19 percent; their core activity is selling goods and services over the Internet. Multi-channel retailers (retailers selling goods and services over the Internet as a side activity) achieved nearly 31 percent higher turnover in online sales.
Sources
- StatLine - Retail trade; turnover change
- StatLine - Retail trade; turnover change internet sales
Related items
- Dossier - Business Cycle