For the first time, the number of web shops has exceeded the number of regular shops. In recent years, more and more online stores have been added, so that there are now more than 84,000 in the Netherlands. That is 2,000 more than brick and mortar shops, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands.
The popularity of online shopping has been rising for years, but boomed during the pandemic. The number of webshops has doubled in the past four years. Especially shops for clothing and home and garden articles saw the light of day.
The increase in online shopping is offset by a decrease in the number of physical stores. In 2010 there were still almost 100,000, which has now dropped to just over 82,000. Last year, many shoe stores and white goods sellers closed.
More than seven in ten Dutch municipalities saw the number of shops decrease last year. In the twenty largest cities, this was even nine out of ten. Stores were only added in Arnhem and Zoetermeer.
Of all municipalities, the decrease was strongest in Alphen-Chaam (-17 percent) in Brabant. Remarkably, the increase was greatest in the neighboring municipality of Baarle-Nassau (+11 percent).
Shopping centers are not becoming more monotonous
The decline in the number of shops over the past twelve years has mainly been at the expense of chains, according to a report by ABN AMRO. In 2010, 28 percent of physical stores were part of a chain. Last year this had fallen to 24.4 percent. This means that less than a quarter of the stores belong to a well-known chain or formula.
It is often thought that shopping centers in large cities are becoming increasingly similar, with the same brands everywhere, such as H&M, Mango, McDonald’s, Kruidvat and HEMA. It is the fear of many municipal authorities and many shoppers.
But according to the bank, which relies on information from data collector Locatus, this ‘branchisation’ is not too bad. Even in the big cities, where the well-known brands are most often located, chains have not become more dominant in the past twelve years.
“All in all, there does not seem to be any question of an increasing monotony of the street scene in the shopping areas,” the researchers say. However, chains have recently become increasingly dominant in the hospitality industry. But this is mainly because more meal delivery and takeaway restaurants have been added during the corona pandemic.
“If that were to disappear, then the increase would probably be gone there as well. Therefore, we do not expect that branching will be an increasing problem for shopping areas in the coming years.”
2023-05-09 22:15:18
#Netherlands #web #shops #physical #stores #time #Economy
