ONS: Online Retailing Accounted For 20% of Spending in December

December retail sales declined by more than anticipated, according to data from the Office for National Statistics which covers the five-week period 25 November 2018 to 29 December 2018. The official Black Friday day of promotions was on 23 November 2018. Cyber Monday, however, is included in December data as it took place on 25 November 2018.

When compared with the previous month, the quantity bought in December 2018 decreased by 0.9%, as all sectors except food stores and fuel stores declined on the month. 

Looking at annual growth rates, the whole of 2018 increased by 2.7% in the quantity bought; an annual slowdown in comparison with the peak of 4.7% experienced in 2016.

In December 2018, online retailing accounted for 20% of total retailing, with an overall growth of 13.9% when compared with the same month a year earlier.

In the three months to December 2018, estimates in the quantity bought decreased by 0.2% with declines across all main sectors except fuel.

Rhian Murphy, head of retail sales at the ONS, said: "Following the increased growth in November, where shoppers snapped up more Black Friday offers as they continue to bring forward their Christmas shopping, retail sales weakened in December".

"Retail sales fell back slightly in the last three months of 2018 with only petrol stations seeing significant growth." 

Source : ONS

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