[caption id="attachment_96818" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Data in this report are not seasonally adjusted
Source: ONS/Coresight Research[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_96819" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: ONS/Coresight Research[/caption]  

Retail Sales Growth by Sector

In recent months, the ONS retail sales index has been supported by strong growth at small retailers. In August, this trend reversed, with modest growth for this segment and large retailers seeing an acceleration in growth, driving a total sales uplift. Large retailers form the bulk of the sector (about 76% of total August sales) and account for a very high share of sales in several major sectors such as apparel. Figures for the large-retailer segment are more reflective of the most-watched companies. In August, grocery was modestly positive, large clothing retailers were up by a respectable 2.5% and footwear specialists recorded a double-digit uptick. However, department stores and mixed-goods retailers saw declines deepen; major department-store chain John Lewis reported sales declines in three of the four weeks in August. DIY was very weak, according to the ONS — though (like floor coverings, music and video, computers and telecoms), this has been a sector for which the ONS has reported volatile growth rates. July saw Amazon Prime Day, which may have drawn forward or diverted some spending from electrical goods specialists. In August, sales in this sector were down 4.8%. Internet pure plays saw growth moderate from July, albeit to a strong mid-teens pace. The ONS recorded shop-price inflation of 0.6% in August, down from 0.8% in July, and driven by food retailers. Nonfood retailer shop-price inflation stood at (0.3)%. [caption id="attachment_96820" align="aligncenter" width="700"] *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
**A relatively fragmented sector, in which reported figures have traditionally been volatile
Source: ONS[/caption]  

Online Retail Sales Growth

Total Internet retail sales were up 11.6% year over year in August, versus 13.1% growth in July. In August, Internet sales at food retailers were up 8.4%, while sales were up 5.6% at nonfood retailers and up 16.5% at nonstore retailers.