According to provisional figures from Statistics Netherlands, the volume of retail turnover was 0.4 percent higher in January 2002 than in the same month last year. Turnover grew by 6.4 percent in this period while prices in the shops rose by 6 percent. The increase in turnover and volume was in fact slightly less if the difference in shopping days is taken into account.
Turnover volume up in food sector The volume of turnover was 2 percent higher in the food sector in January than twelve months previously. As prices were 7.5 percent higher, turnover in the food sector rose by nearly 10 percent. Supermarkets, by far the largest
group in the food sector booked a 10 percent increase in turnover.
Volume down in non-food sector For non-food retail outlets the volume of turnover was 0.8 percent lower than in January 2001.
Prices in this sector were 5 percent higher than in January
last year, putting the growth in turnover for this sector at 4.2 percent. Do-ityourself stores and shops selling consumer electronics realised much higher than average growth rates in turnover, while for clothes shops turnover fell.
Shopping costs more
Retail prices increased further. While in December 2001 the increase was 5.4 percent compared with twelve months previously, in January the increase had risen to 6 percent. Shoppers had to pay more for food products in particular. In December food prices had risen by an average 6.4 percent; in January this was 7.5 percent.
Prices of vegetables were 11 percent higher in December than twelve months previously, and in January 2002 they cost no less than 23
percent more than the same month last year.
(source: Statistics Netherlands)
