Detailhandel Nederland

The largest toy store chains in the Netherlands largely prefer to avoid the debate around the appearance of blackface Sinterklaas character Zwarte Piet by not having the character in their stores, NU.nl reports after speaking to the toy stores.

Intertoys, the largest toy chain in the Netherlands with over 200 branches, removed Piet in whatever form completely from decorations in Intertoys stores. The chain thus avoids uncomfortable situations, a spokesperson said to the newspaper.

Dutch retailers' association Detailhandel Nederland is calling on the Dutch government not to be too strict when implementing new European rules on electric car charging stations, ANP reports.

The new rules oblige retailers to have a minimum number of electric car chargers on their parking lots. But the association considers this obligation "superfluous". The association asks the government to make use of the room the European Union gives member states to fulfill objects at national level in their own way.

Last year a total of 276 shops were robbed, compared to 310 in 2015, according to figures from Dutch retail association Detailhandel Nederland. But while robberies are decreasing, criminals are committing more ramraids and ATM bombings, NOS reports.

The number of registered store robberies has never been so low, according to the association. Over the last seven years, store robberies dropped by a massive 70 percent. This can be attributed to political attention to this type of crime and the establishment of the Robberies Taskforce, according to Detailhandel Nederland. 

The Netherlands has an increasing number of young, female shoplifters. In the age group 18 to 25 years, there is an equal number of male and female shoplifters, compared to 59 percent male and 41 percent female five years ago, according to a study done by Detailhandel Nederland.

Small and medium sized businesses are furious about the governments alleged plan to get rid of the so-called "low tariff" value added tax rate on most products and services.

Store owners and online store owners want the Dutch bank sector to raise the bar for iDeal and to adopt measures to ensure that the major online payment method works fault-free within two years, Detailhandel Nederland writes on its website.

Parking now costs on average €2.73, this has risen by 26 percent in the last four years according to Detailhandel Nederland, who studied 80 parking garages.