Partner Article

Retail sales increase by 1.4% in May

Discounts and department store promotions have helped to attract high levels of consumers and pushed up retail sales last month according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

In May retail sales increased by 1.4%, much higher than the anticipated rise of 1.2%. Sales fell dramatically in April due to wet weather, and panic-buying petrol.

The increase was driven by a 6.2% surge in fuel sales, as March’s fuel strike continued to impact, although the statistics also indicate that a decline in department store prices also lifted volumes.

Removing the impact of fuel, retail sales volumes increased by 0.9%

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .