Dutch Retail Sales Growth Lowest Since 2016

Retail sales in the Netherlands rose by 1.3% year-on-year in February 2026, easing from a downwardly revised 1.6% increase in the previous month. The latest figure marked the weakest growth since September 2016, driven by slower sales increase in the food sector (1.4% vs 2.3% in January), particularly in supermarkets (1.6% vs 3%), while activity rebounded in specialty stores (0.1% vs -3.1%). Meanwhile, sales growth remained steady for non-food products (at 1.2%), with turnover increasing for furniture and home furnishings (5.5% vs -3.8%), drugstores (5.3% vs 5%), DIY, kitchens, floors (2.1% vs -2%), and clothing (1.7% vs 0.3%). Conversely, activity rose at a softer pace for consumer electronics and white goods (2.9% vs 8.9%), and shoes and leather goods (1.8% vs 4.5%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail activity fell by 0.3% in February, reversing a 0.4% gain in the preceding period.

Retail sales in the Netherlands rose by 2.2% year-on-year in January 2026, easing from a 3% increase in the previous month. This marked the softest growth since December 2024, driven by a slower sales increase in the food sector (2.6% vs 5% in December). Food sales growth sharply slowed in supermarkets (3.2% vs 6.1%), while it continued to decline in specialty stores (-0.9% vs -1.5%). Meanwhile, activity increased further in the non-food sector (1.9% vs 1.6%), with significant growth in sales for consumer electronics and white goods (10.8% vs -1.7%) and drugstores (8.9% vs 2.3%). Shoes and leather goods also recovered (4.1% vs -0.3%), while turnover declined for DIY, kitchens, floors (-1.8% vs 0.1%), recreational items (-0.9% vs 3.3%), and clothing (-0.3% vs 2%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail activity rose by 0.6% in January, rebounding from a 0.9% decrease in the preceding period.

Retail sales in the Netherlands increased by 3% year-on-year in December 2025, easing from an upwardly revised 4.3% rise in November and marking the weakest growth since May. Growth in non-food sales slowed (1.9% vs 4.3% in November), amid smaller gains in recreational goods stores (2.7% vs 3.7%), drugstores (2.3% vs 8.4%), clothing stores (2% vs 2.1%), alongside renewed declines in DIY stores, including kitchens and flooring (-0.3% vs 3.7%), furniture and home furnishings stores (-0.7% vs 4.8%), and shoes and leather goods stores (-1.3% vs 3.4%). Conversely, food sales increased further (5% vs 4.3%), supported mainly by stronger supermarket sales (6.1% vs 4.5%). Online sales rose by 4.3%, slowing from a 7.3% growth in the previous month. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, sales fell by 0.9%, the first decrease in seven months, after an upwardly revised 0.6% rise in November. For the full year of 2025, retail sales were 3.6% higher than in 2024.