There has been a strong rebound in UK retail sales reported in June as lockdown eases.
Volume of sales were up 13.9 percent on May and, excluding motor fuel 1.7 percent up on a year ago according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics this morning.
Food sales continue above their pre-pandemic levels due to the closure of cafes, restaurants and pubs. Online sales have risen to record levels, and now count for £3 in every £10 spent
In June 2020, electrical household appliances, hardware, paints and glass and furniture stores all returned to similar levels as before the pandemic as home improvements during lockdown helped boost their sales
The proportion of online spending reduced to 31.8% in June when compared to the record 33.3% reported in May, but is a considerable increase from the 20.0% reported in February
ONS deputy national statistician Jonathan Athow commented:
Retail continued to recover from the sharp falls seen in April, with overall sales now almost back to pre-pandemic levels. But there are some dramatic differences in sales across the retail industry.
Food sales continue above their pre-pandemic levels due to the closure of cafes, restaurants and pubs. Online sales have risen to record levels, and now count for £3 in every £10 spent.
On the other hand, clothing sales remain depressed and across the high street sales in non-food stores are down by around one-third on pre-pandemic levels.
The latest three months as a whole still saw the weakest quarterly growth on record.
