Retail turnover up by almost 3 percent in May

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© CBS / Nikki van Toorn
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the Dutch retail sector recorded growth in turnover of 2.9 percent in May 2024, year on year. Sales volume was up by 3.6 percent. Turnover in the non-food sector (including retail not in shops) increased by 4.5 percent, while turnover in the food sector (shops selling food, beverages and tobacco) remained virtually unchanged. Furthermore, online retail turnover increased by 1.6 percent year on year.

The figures for retail turnover have been adjusted for calendar days in May, because more is sold on certain days of the week than on other days. Without such an adjustment, retail turnover in May 2024 would have been 4.2 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
2024January2.4
2024February3.4
2024March4.3
2024April2.2
2024May2.9
*excluding petrol

Turnover in non-food sector up by 4.5 percent

Turnover in the non-food sector was up by 4.5 percent in May, year on year. Sales volume (turnover adjusted for price changes) was up by 6.6 percent from one year previously.

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

Turnover in food sector remained unchanged

Turnover in shops selling food, beverages and tobacco in May was virtually the same as a year earlier. Sales volume was 2.0 percent lower. Turnover in supermarkets was down by 0.6 percent, while turnover in specialty shops was up by 4.3 percent.

Turnover branches retail sector* (calendar adjusted)
 May 2024 (year-on-year % change)April 2024 (year-on-year % change)
Total food0-0.3
Specialist shops4.32.2
Supermarkets-0.6-0.7
Total non-food4.53.7
Consumer electronics8.53.5
Personal care products6.46.8
Clothes5.7-1.9
Shoes and leather products50.4
DIY products, kitchens, flooring1.93.2
Recreational goods11.5
Furniture and household articles-9-5.7
* excluding petrol stations

Online turnover 1.6 percent higher

Turnover among online retailers was up by 1.6 percent in May, year on year. Online retailers (whose core activity is selling goods and services over the internet) recorded an increase in turnover of 7.2 percent. Multi-channel retailers (retailers selling goods and services over the internet as a secondary activity) saw turnover in their online sales fall by 5.3 percent.

Online turnover for food and personal care products and for other non-food products was higher in May 2024 than it was one year previously. However, online turnover for clothing and fashion items decreased.

Online turnover by subsector
 May 2024 (year-on-year % change)April 2024 (year-on-year % change)
Total 1.68.4
Food and personal care products5.213.3
Other non-food products2.77.1
Clothing and fashion products-4.83.1

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