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Growth in retail sales is sustained

Written by Adrie van der Luijt

Friday, 21 December 2007

There was sustained positive underlying growth in the volume of retail sales in November, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.

Retail sales volume in the three months to November increased by 1.1 per cent compared with the previous three months.

This follows 1.3 per cent growth in the three months to October. Three-monthly growth in sales volume was 1.0 per cent for predominantly food stores while sales volume for predominantly non-food stores increased by 0.8 per cent.

Three-monthly growth was reported in each sector of retailing except for household goods stores, where sales decreased by 0.3 per cent.

Sales in non-store retailing and repair increased by 3.8 per cent, the largest increase for this sector since October 2006 (6.0 per cent).

Total sales volume in the three months to November was 4.8 per cent higher than the same period a year ago. Sales volume for predominantly non-food stores increased by 6.5 per cent while sales volume for predominantly food stores increased by 1.4 per cent.

Sales volume for non-specialised stores (which includes department stores) was 8.0 per cent higher than the same period a year ago, the largest increase for this sector since April 2000 (8.1 per cent).

Total sales volume increased by 0.4 per cent between October and November. Sales volume for predominantly food stores increased by 0.4 per cent, while sales volume for predominantly non-food stores decreased by 0.1 per cent.

Sales volume for non-store retailing and repair increased by 5.9 per cent, the largest increase for this sector since August 2006 (8.1 per cent).

The non-seasonally adjusted value of retail sales for the three months to November was 3.4 per cent higher than in the same period a year earlier. The average weekly value of sales in November was £5.6 billion, 3.0 per cent higher than in November 2006.

Sales by predominantly food stores increased by 3.4 per cent over the year, compared with 1.9 per cent for predominantly non-food stores and 10.3 per cent for non-store retailing and repair.

Sales by textile, clothing and footwear stores decreased by 0.7 per cent, the largest fall for this sector since October 2005 (-1.9 per cent).

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