UK retail sales volumes increased by 0.9% month over month in June as pleasant weather encouraged customers to visit the high street and spend more money online.
The increase follows a sharp 2.8% drop in May. June is the warmest month on record in England, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which also reports that the heatwave increased sales of groceries and beverages.
Sales volumes also rose 1.7% yearly, but they are still 1.6% lower than the pre-pandemic levels recorded in February 2020.
Lower demand at home goods and second-hand stores countered rises at department stores and clothes merchants, resulting in a mere 0.2% increase in sales at non-food establishments. Retailers attributed these declines to a decline in foot traffic.
Online spending now makes up 27.8% of all retail sales, with the value of online purchases rising 2.3% month over month and 4.5% year over year. Volumes of retail sales rose 0.2% over the first quarter of 2025 and 1.8% over the same period last year.
