Considerable growth retail turnover

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Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that retail turnover was 4.3 percent up in September from September 2014.  The growth is partly due to a more favourable shopping-day pattern. The volume (of retail sales) was 5.1 percent up from one year previously, while retail prices were 0.8 percent down. Non-food shops performed particularly well. Online turnover soared by more than 20 percent.

September 2015 had one Wednesday more and one Monday less than September 2014. In general, Wednesday is a better day for retailers than Monday.

Turnover developments retail sector

Clothing shops boast turnover growth

Year-on-year, non-food shops realised a 7.0 percent turnover growth in September, entirely attributable to higher sales. The volume of sales grew by 7.3 percent, prices fell by 0.3 percent. Clothing shops stood out with a turnover growth by no less than 15.2 percent.

The considerable turnover growth for clothing shops is partly due to mild weather conditions. August 2015 was relatively warm and September was relatively cold. Relatively warm weather during the summer holiday period may have a negative effect on turnover, whereas relatively cold weather may have a positive effect. Last year, it was the other way round. In 2014, August was relatively cold and September relatively warm. Partly on account of the weather conditions, clothing shops faced declining turnover results in August and recorded robust turnover growth in September.

Weather conditions may also have affected turnover results of home furnishing shops. In August, home furnishing shops suffered loss of turnover for the first time this year, but in September turnover growth was back at the level of the preceding months of 2015. Chemists’ shops also reported higher turnover results than twelve months ago.

In the non-food sector, DIY shops, consumer electronics shops and household appliances shops faced loss of turnover, but less substantial than in August.

Turnover non-food sector, September 2015

Steady turnover growth food, drinks and tobacco shops

Turnover generated by food, drinks and tobacco shops was 2.9 percent up in September from September 2014. Supermarkets realised a 3.4 percent turnover increase. The average price of daily shopping items rose by 0.8 percent, the volume of sales increased by 2.6 percent. Specialist shops had to settle for zero growth.

Sustained turnover growth online retailers

With a growth of 20.2 percent, online retail turnover continued to grow in September compared to the same month last year. Growth was higher than in August. Shopkeepers for whom online sales are only an additional activity (the so-called multi-channelers), boasted a turnover growth of 27.6 percent. Web shops realised a turnover growth of 15.4 percent relative to the same period last year. Web shop retailers exclusively sell goods and/or services over the internet.