June saw a spike in sales for UK shops as customers were encouraged by the nicer weather.
Shopping activity increased during the month, according to new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), as sales of sportswear and fans skyrocketed as a result of the recent heat wave and athletic events like Wimbledon.
Total UK retail sales rose 3.1% year over year in June, according to the monthly BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor, compared to a 0.2% gain in the same month the previous year.
Non-food sales rose 2.2% in June, according to the BRC, with growth rates comparable for online and in-store sales.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), stated that retail sales picked up in June, with strong performance in both food and non-food categories. She noted that sports and leisure equipment also saw a boost due to the warm weather and the start of Wimbledon.
A slightly different picture was presented by comparable spending data from Barclays, which indicated a small decline in monthly spending.
According to the data, June saw a 0.1% decrease in consumer card expenditure as critical spending fell during the month. Despite the better weather, Barclays reported that essential spending decreased 2.1% for the month based on its card data.
However, it made clear that festivals and athletic events contributed to an increase in non-essential spending, with greater expenditures on travel, lodging, and entertainment.
