Retail sales volumes in Great Britain rose 0.5% in August after a 0.5% fall in July, helped by a partial recovery at non-store retailers and stronger department-store sales, the Office for National Statistics said.
The increase left sales volumes 2.4% higher than a year earlier. Across the three months to August, volumes rose 0.9% from the three months to May, a measure the ONS says is less volatile than month-to-month data.
August reversed July’s fall
Non-store retailers, a category dominated by online sellers but also including market stalls, partly recovered after a weak July. Retailers had linked July’s fall to promotions being brought forward into June.
Department stores also improved after stock-availability problems in July. The figures measure the quantity of goods bought, so they are adjusted for price movements and do not simply show how much money shoppers spent.
Three-month trend remains positive
Food stores and non-store retailers drove the 0.9% increase over the latest three months, according to the ONS release. The longer measure smooths out changes caused by discount timing, weather and stock deliveries.
Retail sales are an early indicator of household demand, but they cover goods rather than services such as travel, restaurants and entertainment. They should not be treated as a complete measure of consumer spending or economic growth.
Sales data will be revised
The ONS described the August estimate as preliminary. Retail surveys are revised as more businesses respond and seasonal adjustments are updated, so the July decline and August rise may change in later releases.
The rebound gives retailers a better starting point for the autumn than July’s data suggested, but the three-month gain remains the clearer signal: shoppers bought more goods over the period, even as monthly patterns moved around.
