FX.co ★ Dutch Retail Sales Up Over 3% in March

In March 2025, retail sales in the Netherlands experienced a 3.4% increase compared to the previous year, showing an acceleration from the revised 2.2% growth observed in February. This period marked the ninth month in a row of retail expansion, primarily driven by a rise in non-food product sales, which grew by 4.4% compared to February's 2.7%. Notably, there was substantial growth in specific categories: shoes and leather goods surged by 10.6% (up from a decline of 0.9%), recreational items and drugstores both increased by 5.7% (slightly down from 7.1%), clothing sales grew by 3.8% (recovering from a 0.4% decline), and DIY items, kitchens, and flooring sales rose by 3.3% (up from 0.8%). Meanwhile, food product sales increased by 1.5%, maintaining the same growth rate as February, with sales improving in both specialty shops (1.8% compared to 3.8%) and supermarkets (1.4%, up from 1.2%). When adjusted for seasonal variations, the retail sector advanced by 0.8% in March, bouncing back from a revised 0.4% decrease in the previous month.