Trends in retailing in light of only slight increases in turnover

In 2006 private households in Germany spent €1.28 trillion for diverse domestic goods and services. This was 2.2% more than in the previous year, which, inflation adjusted, meant an increase of 0.8%. Retailing (excluding vehicle sales and petrol stations but including repairs of consumer durables) recorded a nominal turnover growth of 0.9% (real 0.3%) and was thus clearly below the development of consumption expenditure. For this reason, firms in this sector seek to establish a profile with product selection, lines of merchandise and goods presentation to attract particular customer target groups. This adjustment has led to dynamic developments within retailing.