Retail sales in the Netherlands increased by 1.6 percent year-on-year in January of 2019, easing from an upwardly revised 2.4 percent gain in the previous month. It was the lowest growth in retail trade since March last year, as sale of food products rose softer (1.5% vs 3.4%), namely sales of supermarket goods (1.9% vs 3.7%) and those in specialized shops selling food fell (-1.8% vs 1.5%). In addition, sales of non-food products edged down (-0.1% vs 1.1% in December), particularly clothing (-5% vs 0.5%). Meanwhile, sales decreased more for consumer electronics (-1.9% vs -1.6%) and less for both shoes and leather goods (-0.1% vs -2.8%) and recreational goods (-0.7% vs -1.7%). On the other hand, sales increased faster for do-it-yourself items, kitchens, floors (6.2% vs 2.4%). Retail Sales YoY in Netherlands averaged 1.16 percent from 2005 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 9.30 percent in May of 2006 and a record low of -6.40 percent in August of 2009.
Retail Sales YoY in Netherlands is expected to be 3.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Retail Sales YoY in Netherlands to stand at 2.90 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Netherlands Retail Sales YoY is projected to trend around 2.50 percent in 2020, according to our econometric models.