The number of shops in the Netherlands is increasing. On January 1, 2024, the counter stood at more than 83,000, about 1,100 more than a year earlier. This is reported by CBS. Since 2010, the number of stores has only decreased, except for an upturn in 2021.
More stores will be added in two-thirds of the municipalities by 2023. The increase was the largest in Oostzaan: +20 percent compared to the previous year. Neighboring municipality Wormerland was one of the strongest decliners: -10.3 percent. Only on Vlieland did the number of stores decline more sharply, by 11.1 percent. More were added on the other Wadden Islands.
Growth in large municipalities
The number of shops increased in sixteen of the twenty largest municipalities. Haarlemmermeer was the leader with an increase of 7.5 percent. In the four large municipalities where supply declined, this was a relatively small decrease. Ranging from -0.1 percent in Arnhem to -0.5 percent in Haarlem and -0.7 percent in Apeldoorn and Eindhoven.
Despite the increase to more than 83,000 stores, the number was not yet back to the level before the corona pandemic. On January 1, 2020, there were more than 84,100 stores. Compared to January 1, 2010, the difference is even greater, when there were more than 97,000 stores.
More bookstores and DIY stores
According to Statistics Netherlands, the number of bookstores rose relatively the most, by 12.9 percent. In 2021 there was the largest decrease, in 2022 there was a slight recovery. In absolute terms, the number of DIY stores increased the most. 310 were added. “This may be related to the stagnant housing market and people are continuing to spruce up their own homes,” says CBS economist Marjolijn Jaarsma. Many tobacco shops were also added, because supermarkets are no longer allowed to sell cigarettes from July 1.
Shops selling brown and white goods (-3.3 percent) and shops selling audio and video recordings (-2 percent) disappeared the most relatively. In absolute terms, the number of garden centres, flower and pet shops fell the most.
No clear explanation
Jaarsma has no clear explanation for the increase in the number of stores. “Consumers may have found their way back to the shopping street after the corona crisis. And that the range of shops will adapt accordingly by no longer decreasing steadily and now growing slightly again.” She adds that this has not been investigated.
Clothing stores are the most common. There are more than 13,000, more than 16 percent of all stores in the Netherlands. This is followed by supermarkets (6,700) and shops selling other household goods (6,400).
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