Although official data indicates that growth in apparel and footwear stores stagnated in April, retail sales in the UK grew during that same month. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), retail sales volumes rose 1.2 per cent overall in April.
In contrast, March had an increase of 0.1 per cent, which was lowered from an earlier projection of 0.4 per cent for the month. Retail sales growth in April exceeded analysts’ projections, which called for a 0.4 per cent increase. Despite worries about strain on consumer budgets, the ONS stated that the most recent gain indicates growth over the last three months has been the “largest in nearly four years.”
Retailers attribute the surge in food and drink expenditures in April to the Easter holiday and warmer temperatures. In other areas, department stores and sellers of household products reported 2.8 per cent and 2.1 per cent growth, respectively, as a result of improved weather. However, April witnessed a 1.8 per cent fall in sales at clothes and shoe businesses, indicating a recent growth stall.
