Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)/Coresight Research

Source: ONS/Coresight Research

RETAIL SALES GROWTH BY SECTOR

February proved solid for UK retail, with total sales up well ahead of inflation and with a sequential strengthening of volume growth.

• Grocery stores recovered after a weak January. In the context of raised inflation, however, the increase in sales equated to just a 0.1% increase in volumes.
• Big-ticket sectors saw mixed results, although the ONS index has traditionally proved volatile for a number of these sectors.Furniture sales were up, while floor coverings were down and electrical goods steady.
• In a month that closed with a cold blast, large clothing chains, which make up 90% of the clothing specialists sector, turned in solid growth.
• Growth at Internet pure plays equated to a volume increase of 10.9% year over year, which drove February’s volume gains for all retail.
• The ONS said that total shop-price inflation decelerated to 2.6% in February from 2.8% in January, largely due to a further unwinding of price increases at food stores.

Source: ONS

ONLINE RETAIL SALES GROWTH

Total Internet retail sales were up 14.3% year over year in February. Internet sales grew by 13.9% at food retailers and by 13.7% at nonfood retailers.