Shops buckle down for "super Sunday"

20 December 2007

LEIDSCHENDAM – Large retail chains like the Bijenkorf, HEMA, V&D, Bart Smit and Blokker put in on average a quarter more personnel in the month of December in order to handle the heavy shopping traffic. This emerged from a survey published on Thursday that the Dutch Retail Council (RND) held among its members.

There are especially high expectations for this weekend. "We expect that Saturday and Sunday will be the busiest days of the year," says director of the RND Henk Kok. It is also the first time in years that Christmas falls "extremely favourably" for retailers.

23 December is expected to be a sort of "super Sunday" because of the combination of shopping Sunday and Christmas just a few days away.

Generally 40 to 50 percent of the total weekly turnover in the retail sector is achieved on the weekend. The RND recently started a survey among its members to see what proportion of weekly turnover is achieved on shopping Sundays.

The initial results of the study indicate that no less than 20 percent of the weekly turnover is achieved on a shopping Sunday.

Retailers expect a total extra turnover of EUR 700 million in the week before Christmas, EUR 500 million of which during this weekend and on Monday.

Subject: Dutch news

Shops buckle down for “super Sunday”