Retail sales 5% higher in first quarter

Retail sales in the Netherlands rose by 4.8% in the first three months of 2017 compared to the year-earlier period, the national statistics office CBS reported on Friday.

On-line sales were 14.8% higher year-on-year. Retailers with both a bricks-and-mortar and online presence registered 16.4% growth, compared to a 13.6% increase for solely online operations, the CBS said.

Sales of food retailers were 3% higher across the board in the first quarter. Non-food sales increased by 4.1% on an annual basis led by the home furnishings sector. The recovery of the housing market also benefited DIY and kitchens retailers, whose first-quarter sales jumped 10.8%, the CBS said.