Retail
Published by:
Statistics Netherlands, CBS
Are you looking for statistical information on the retail sector?
On this page, you will find the key figures and trends. The retail sector includes clothing stores, supermarkets, and gas stations, among others.
Key figures
176 290
businesses
3.2
per cent turnover growth
43 200
job vacancies
Number of businesses
Number of businesses
Source:Â CBSÂ CC BY 4.0Â
At the start of the third quarter of 2026, there were 176,290 retail businesses in the Netherlands. That is 25 fewer than in the previous quarter.
Turnover
Turnover
Source:Â CBSÂ CC BY 4.0Â
In the second quarter of 2026, retail businesses reported a 3.2% increase in sales compared with the same period a year earlier.
Vacancies and wages
Job vacancies
Source:Â CBSÂ CC BY 4.0Â
In the second quarter of 2026, there were 43,200 job openings in the retail sector. That is more than in the previous quarter. At that time, there were 39,700 job openings in the industry.
Development of CAO wages
Source:Â CBSÂ CC BY 4.0Â
In the third quarter of 2026, collective bargaining agreement wages in the retail sector rose by 4.1% compared with the same period a year earlier. In the previous quarter, the wage increase was 4.7%.
Business confidence
Business confidence
Source:Â CBSÂ CC BY 4.0Â
At the beginning of the third quarter of 2026, business confidence in the retail sector stood at -1.1. This is higher than in the previous quarter, when confidence stood at -11.8. Retail business owners were more positive than the average business owner.