ONS: Retail Sales Beat Expectations in April

The ONS has reported on retail sales for the four weeks between 31st March and 27th April 2019.  

The reporting period includes Good Friday (19 April) and Easter Monday (22 April).  The previous year’s reporting period for April 2018 was 1 April to 28 April with Easter Monday on 1 April 2018. Seasonal adjustment accounts for this earlier shift in Easter spending.

Key Points:

• In the three months to April 2019, the quantity of goods bought (volume) in retail sales increased by 1.8% when compared with the previous three months, with strong growth in non-store retailing, which reached a record high of 9.4%.

• Online retailers selling clothing items were the driver to this growth, with the warm weather helping to boost sales.

• When compared with the previous year, the quantity bought in April 2019 increased by 5.2%, with growth across all sectors except household goods, which fell by 4.5%.

• The quantity bought was flat (0.0%) in April 2019 when compared with the previous month, with growths in clothing, non-store retailing and fuel offset by falls in all other main sectors.

• In April 2019, online retailing accounted for 18.7% of total retailing compared with 17.7% in April 2018, with an overall growth of 10.1% when compared with the same month a year earlier.

Source : Insight DIY Team and ONS

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