Turnover in the food sector rose by 7,5 percent in the second quarter of this year. The largest increase since the start of the measurement in 2005, according to new quarterly figures from Statistics Netherlands. The consumption of table potatoes and potato products has also risen sharply, Nedato reports.
Since March, the consumption of table potatoes in the Benelux has even increased by 30%, says potato cooperative Nedato. Turnover initially came under pressure due to the loss of demand for chips from the catering industry. But demand is steadily recovering, says director Koen van Hartevelt. "Export is also catching up and back to the old level. It is hoped that a new intelligent lockdown will be spared and that the catering industry can recover part of the loss suffered."
Specialty shops also benefit
The significantly higher turnover of potatoes and many other foods on the supermarket shelf was mainly due to the announcement of the measures related to the corona outbreak. Forced home consumption as a result of the catering closure also contributed to supermarket turnover in the second quarter being 7,9% higher than one year previously. The turnover of specialty stores such as butchers, greengrocers, cheese shops and liquor stores also grew under the corona circumstances and was 4,7% higher in the second quarter. Statistics Netherlands does not provide figures for farm shops, but it is no secret that they have also benefited from the corona virus.
Unprecedented online growth
Thanks to the sharply increased turnover in supermarkets, the retail sector achieved significantly more turnover in the strongly corona-affected second quarter of this year than in the second quarter of 2019. Total turnover increased by 5,9 percent. The 'non-food sector' within the retail trade saw turnover decline on balance, although online turnover rose spectacularly by tens of percentages, an unprecedented growth. Internet sales have never seen such a large growth in the second quarter.
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