UK March retail sales 0.0% vs +0.3% m/m expected

  • Latest data released by ONS - 19 April 2024
UKRS
  • Prior 0.0%; revised to +0.1%
  • Retail sales +0.8% vs +1.0% y/y expected
  • Prior -0.4%; revised to -0.3%
  • Retail sales (ex autos, fuel) -0.3% vs +0.3% m/m expected
  • Prior +0.2%; revised to +0.3%
  • Retail sales (ex autos, fuel) +0.4% vs +0.9% y/y expected
  • Prior -0.5%; revised to -0.4%

That's a rather disappointing reading with the breakdown showing the volume of food store sales down 0.7% and department store sales down 3.8% on the month. Non-store retailing sales also fell by 1.5% in March. All of that was largely balanced out by a rise in other non-food store sales (+1.8%) and automotive fuel sales (+3.2%).

In any case, the divergence between value and volume of sales is still largely persisting. And that indicates the impact that higher inflation has had on UK spending over the last two years.

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