All data in this report are not seasonally adjusted. Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)/Coresight Research

Source: ONS/Coresight Research

RETAIL SALES GROWTH BY SECTOR

The earlier timing of Easter this year distorted growth in March and April by pulling forward some holiday spending into March. Even so, April was a weak month, when measured by year-over-year growth. Clothing specialists saw a second consecutive month of declining sales, grocery stores saw a drop in sales, furniture stores turned negative and sales fell at department stores/mixed-goods retailers, too. Due to the distorting effect of Easter, we include a nonweighted average of March and April in the table below. This shows that, even once we adjust for the timing of Easter this year, growth at grocery stores, department stores/mixed-goods retailers, clothing specialists and footwear stores was weak. The ONS reported that total shop-price inflation stood at 2.0% in April, level with the rate seen in March. At food stores, inflation fell to 2.3% in April, from 2.5% in March. At nonfood retailers, inflation climbed to 1.7% in April, from 1.5% in March.

*A relatively small or fragmented sector, where reported figures have traditionally proved volatile. **A small retailer is defined as one with fewer than 100 employees or with revenues of £60 million or less per year; all others are large retailers. Source: ONS

ONLINE RETAIL SALES GROWTH

Total Internet retail sales were up 11.9% year over year in April. Internet sales grew by 12.9% at food retailers and by 16.4% at nonfood retailers.