Sales in the retail sector in the Netherlands rose by 4.1%  in the second quarter year-on-year after a very strong first three months.

The increase was seen in all sectors, with food and non-food shops registering 3% growth while sales in on-line shops shot up by 17.2%, the national statistics office CBS reported on Monday.

Retail sales in the first quarter were 4.8% higher than the 2016 period, the sharpest rise since 2006, the CBS said.

Sales in food stores was 3.3% higher in the second quarter, pushed by supermarkets where sales gained 3.7% over the 2016 period. Sales fell in specialty food shops but higher prices edged cash sales up by 1%. Sales in non-food stores was 3.1% higher than a year ago. Sales in kitchen and DIY stores rose by 7.6%.

The CBS said on-line sales increased by more than 17% over the 2016 second quarter. Online sales booked by multi-channelers (companies with a bricks and mortar as well as online sales)  soared by 25.5%, the highest since the sector was first monitored three years ago.