Sales growth in the Dutch retail sector fell to 3.8% last year, compared with 5.3% in 2006, according to ING’s economic research bureau.

The bureau says both food and non-food sales growth will fall to 3% this year. The bank says consumers will spend less in shops this year because of higher energy and health bills.
It predicts that supermarket sales will rise 3.5% this year while specialist shops will see turnover grow 1%.