Retail turnover up by nearly 3 percent in July

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that retail turnover was 2.8 percent higher in July 2026, year on year. Sales volume was up by 1.8 percent. All the main subsectors recorded an increase in turnover. Turnover in the non-food sector (including retail not in shops) increased by 3.6 percent, and turnover in the food sector (shops selling food, beverages and tobacco) increased by 1.5 percent. Meanwhile, online retail turnover rose by 3.8 percent, year on year.

The figures for retail turnover have been adjusted to reflect the shopping days in July, because more is sold on certain days of the week than others. Without this adjustment, retail turnover in July would have been 3.5 percent higher than in June 2025.

Turnover in food sector up by 1.5 percent

Turnover in shops selling food, beverages and tobacco rose by 1.5 percent in July, year on year. Sales volume (turnover adjusted for price changes) was also 1.5 percent higher. Turnover in supermarkets rose by 1.6 percent, while in specialty shops it rose by 0.7 percent.

Turnover in non-food sector up by 3.6 percent

Turnover in the non-food sector (including non-shop retail) was up by 3.6 percent in July, year on year. Sales volume was up by 1.9 percent on July 2025.

Like last month, chemist shops saw the largest increase in turnover of all the subsectors, at 12.5 percent. Next came retailers selling consumer electronics and those selling recreational goods, both of which saw turnover growth of 5.5 percent.

Turnover of online retail up by nearly 4 percent

Turnover among online retailers was up by 3.8 percent in July, year on year. Online retailers (whose core activity is selling goods and services over the internet) recorded an increase in turnover of 4.5 percent. Online turnover growth for multi-channel retailers (retailers selling goods and services over the internet as a secondary activity) was less pronounced, at 3.4 percent.

In all subsectors, online turnover was up in July 2026, year on year, though the increase was less pronounced than in the previous month. Clothing and fashion retailers recorded the largest increase, at 5.6 percent. Consumer electronics retailers followed closely with a rise of 5.4 percent. Growth in shops selling other non-food items lagged slightly behind the other subsectors, at 2.3 percent.