Retail turnover up by 3 percent in February

More recent figures are available on this topic. View the latest figures here.
© Hollandse Hoogte / Richard Brocken
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the Dutch retail sector recorded 3.0 percent year-on-year turnover growth in February 2024. Sales volume was up by 2.7 percent. Turnover in the non-food sector (including retail not in shops) increased by 3.9 percent and in the food sector (shops selling food, beverages and tobacco) by 1.4 percent. Furthermore, online retail turnover increased by 5.3 percent year on year.

The figures for retail turnover have been adjusted for calendar days in February, because more is sold on certain days of the week than on others. If no such adjustment is made, retail turnover in February 2024 was 5.0 percent higher than one year previously.

Turnover retail sector* (calendar adjusted)
 monthchange (year-on-year % change)
2019January1.5
2019February4.1
2019March4.1
2019April1.9
2019May2.6
2019June3.1
2019July3
2019August2.9
2019September4.4
2019October3.6
2019November2.4
2019December5.2
2020January3.5
2020February4.9
2020March3.4
2020April-1
2020May8.6
2020June10.2
2020July9.2
2020August10.2
2020September7.3
2020October7.2
2020November10.1
2020December-3.4
2021January-6.1
2021February-2.8
2021March6.6
2021April9.7
2021May9.5
2021June5.6
2021July2.8
2021August3.3
2021September4.2
2021October6.8
2021November5.3
2021December6.4
2022January18.1
2022February16
2022March9.3
2022April9
2022May2.1
2022June1.5
2022July5.9
2022August2.7
2022September6
2022October5
2022November6.8
2022December11.9
2023January11.2
2023February7.9
2023March4.9
2023April4.5
2023May5
2023June7.5
2023July4
2023August5.8
2023September3.8
2023October4.6
2023November3.3
2023December 3.2
2024January2.5
2024February3
*excluding petrol

Turnover in non-food sector up by almost 4 percent

In February, turnover in the non-food sector was up by 3.9 percent year on year. Sales volume (turnover adjusted for price changes) was up by 4.6 percent from one year previously.

Chemists, shops selling footwear and leather products and those selling DIY products (including kitchens and flooring) saw year-on-year turnover growth in February. However, clothes shops, shops selling recreational goods, shops selling consumer electronics and white goods and those selling furniture and home furnishings recorded a decrease in turnover.

Turnover in food shops over 1 percent higher

Shops selling food, beverages and tobacco recorded a 1.4 percent higher turnover in February than one year previously. Sales volume was 0.5 percent lower. Turnover in supermarkets was up by 1.1 percent, and turnover in specialty shops was up by 3.8 percent.

Turnover branches retail sector* (calendar adjusted)
 February 2024 (year-on-year % change)January 2024 (year-on-year % change)
Total food1.42.9
Specialist shops3.83.1
Supermarkets1.12.9
Total non-food3.92.3
Personal care products510
Shoes and leather products2.8-0.9
DIY products, kitchens, flooring2.7-0.6
Clothes-0.14.6
Recreational goods-0.91.9
Consumer electronics-0.9-11
Furniture and household articles-1.3-8.1
* excluding petrol stations

Online turnover 5.3 percent higher

Online turnover was up by 5.3 percent year on year in February. Online retailers (whose core activity is selling goods and services over the internet) recorded an increase in turnover of 8.1 percent. Multi-channel retailers (retailers selling goods and services over the internet as a secondary activity) saw 0.9 percent higher turnover in their online sales.

Online turnover for food and personal care products and other non-food products was higher in February than it was one year previously, while turnover for consumer electronics and clothing and fashion items was lower.

Online turnover by subsector
 February 2024 (year-on-year % change)January 2024 (year-on-year % change)
Total 5.33.5
Food and personal care products12.012.8
Other non-food products7.01.4
Consumer electronics-2.0-5.9
Clothing and fashion products-10.22.2

With effect from the reporting month of January 2024, the base year for retail turnover has changed from 2015 to 2021. The old series (base year = 2015) can still be accessed in StatLine, but will no longer be updated.

The figures in this post are preliminary and subject to revision.