Largest turnover growth in 11 years for retail sector

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Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the Dutch retail sector achieved 4.2 percent turnover growth in 2017, the largest year-on-year growth in 11 years. The volume of sales increased by 3.1 percent while online sales rose by 19.5 percent. In the month of December, turnover grew by 3.5 percent.

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 December 2017 was 1.5 percent higher than in the same month one year previously.

Turnover retail sector (adjusted for shopping days)
   % change (year-on-year % change)
2013J-3
2013F-1.7
2013M-4.4
2013A-1.3
2013M-1.9
2013J-1.4
2013J-1.2
2013A-1.5
2013S-3.8
2013O-2.5
2013N-1.7
2013D-1.2
2014J0.2
2014F0.6
2014M0.9
2014A1.2
2014M-0.3
2014J0.4
2014J-0.5
2014A1.9
2014S-1.9
2014O1.2
2014N2.2
2014D0.7
2015J0.1
2015F1.3
2015M0.9
2015A1
2015M0.9
2015J3
2015J2.1
2015A0.5
2015S3.4
2015O1.2
2015N0.3
2015D1.9
2016J0.8
2016F0.2
2016M0.2
2016A-0.8
2016M2.3
2016J0.5
2016J2.1
2016A1.1
2016S0.2
2016O5.4
2016N4.4
2016D2
2017J5.2
2017F4.4
2017M4.6
2017A4.7
2017M3.5
2017J4.1
2017J4.3
2017A4.2
2017S5.7
2017O1.6
2017N5.5
2017D3.5

Turnover up by over 4 percent in 2017

The Dutch retail sector realised 4.2 percent turnover growth in 2017. This is the highest growth since 2007; in 2016, turnover grew by 1.6 percent. The volume of sales increased by 3.1 percent last year. There was more than 3 percent turnover growth in both the food and the non-food sector. Online sales increased by 19.5 percent relative to 2016.

For the non-food sector, there has been more than 13 percent turnover loss since the economic crisis. In the food sector, on the other hand, turnover is currently more than 15 percent higher than its pre-crisis level.

Turnover retail sector (index, adjusted for shopping-days)
 index (2010=100)
2008105.5
2009100.1
2010100
2011100.6
201299.3
201397.2
201497.7
201599.1
2016100.7
2017104.9

Turnover growth non-food sector over 3 percent in 2017

Turnover in the non-food sector rose by 3.3 percent in 2017. The volume of sales (adjusted for price changes) was 3.5 percent up year-on-year.

Shops selling DIY products, kitchens and flooring as well as shops selling furniture and household articles achieved the largest turnover increase. Turnover at shops selling personal care products, footwear, leather products and clothing also grew compared with 2016. Turnover generated by shops selling consumer electronics and recreational goods declined, however.

Also over 3 percent turnover growth for food sector

Shops selling food, beverages and tobacco achieved 3.2 percent more turnover than in 2016. The volume of sales increased by 1 percent. Supermarkets saw higher turnover growth than specialist shops. Furthermore, the volume of sales by supermarkets was up year-on-year, but sales were down for specialist shops.

Turnover by retail sector
 2016 (year-on-year % change)2017 (year-on-year % change)
Total food1.83.2
Supermarkets1.83.5
Specialised shops selling food1.51.0
Total non-food0.53.3
DIY shops, kitchens, floors3.57.5
Furniture, household articles1.84.5
Drug stores, perfume shops1.93.4
Footwear and leather goods -7.82.3
Clothing3.41.5
Recreation goods-0.5-0.2
Consumer electronics-4.7-2.1

Online shops realise 19.5 percent turnover growth

In 2017, online shops saw their turnover go up by 19.5 percent compared with 2016. Web shops recorded a turnover increase of almost 18 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 almost 22 percent higher turnover in online sales.