Retail turnover down in September

In September 2011, Dutch retailers faced nearly 1 percent loss of turnover compared to September 2010. Prices of articles sold were more than 3 percent up, whereas retail volume shrank by nearly 4 percent.

Retail turnover is strongly affected by the shopping-day pattern. With a Wednesday less and a Friday more, the shopping-day pattern was more favourable in September 2011 than in September 2010. The positive effect on turnover is estimated at approximately 1 percent.

Shops in the non-food sector faced nearly 6 percent loss of turnover. Turnover of textile supermarkets, clothes shops and consumer electronics shops declined most. Turnover realised by home furnishing shops, DIY shops and chemist’s shops also declined, by to a lesser extent. With a 1 percent turnover loss, household appliances shops achieved relatively good results within the non-food sector.

The sector food, drinks and tobacco generated a turnover growth of nearly 4 percent. Supermarket sales grew by more than 4 percent, whereas for specialist shops in the food sector sales were 2 percent below the level of twelve months previously.

Petrol stations achieved 5 percent turnover growth relative to September 2010. Petrol prices were more than 11 percent higher than twelve months previously, though. Apart from traditional shops and petrol stations, mail-order firms and online shops are also included in the retail sector. Their sales were more than 8 percent up on one year previously.

Retail turnover

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.