Retail sales in the Netherlands rose by 3.8% year-on-year in September 2025, slowing from an upwardly revised 3.9% advance in the previous month. This marked the softest growth in retail activity since June, driven by a slower increase in sales of non-food products (3.7% vs 3.8% in August), particularly in drugstores (2.1% vs 3.2%) and DIY, kitchens, floors (0.2% vs 0.7%). Additionally, trade declined for shoes and leather goods (-3.9% vs 0.7%) and recreational items (-1.8% vs 5.5%). On the other hand, activity growth increased further for food products (4.1% vs 4%), with sales rising in supermarkets (4.8% vs 4.7%) and declining at a lesser extent in specialty stores (-0.2% vs -0.3%). On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, retail sales went up by 0.3% in September, the same pace as in the preceding period.
