UK retail sales rise in June according to official figures

UK retail sales registered growth “across all measures” in June according to official UK figures, as a damp May gave way to warmer summer weather.

Sales volumes in June increased 1% on a month-on-month basis, with value also up 1.3%, figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed.

When compared to June 2018, the quantity bought by consumers increased by 3.8%, while the amount spent jumped 4.3%.

Food stores registered the smaller increase year-on-year, with value rising 0.6% and flat volumes. On a monthly basis however, food sales volumes were up 0.1% with value rising 0.2%.

Non-food stores registered a year-on-year increase of 1.5% and 1.6% in value and volume respectively compared with June 2018, with both measures up 0.7% over the previous month.

“Whilst a cooler Spring Bank Holiday may have failed to spark the first of the year’s barbecues, sales in non-food edged up 0.7% month-on-month, boosted by the re-commerce market as antiques and charity shops attracted the growing ’consciuos consumer’,” Deloitte’s head of retail Ian Geddes said.

“The start of summer’s high season has so far brought a bumper month for sports in women’s football, tennis and cricket, and retailers should expect a much sunnier sales forecast for the remainder of the season.

“Retailers may not be high and dry just yet but, with the late arrival of summer sunshine, sales may just be starting to warm up.”

The latest figures are in stark contrast with data released by the BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor last week, showing total sales down 1.3% in June versus the same month in 2018.

Kyle Monk, head of insight and analytics at the BRC, said the ONS figures were providing an “optimistic outlook”.

Monk added: “The ONS Retail Sales Index has defied both analyst predictions and generally reported sentiment from retailers.

“Given that last June 2018 was such a strong trading period, it is very difficult to believe that nationally year-on-year sales rose by 4.0%.”