Retail sales volumes rose in June, boosted by sunny weather and increased demand for seasonal clothing.
Retail sales volumes rose by 0.6 percent month-on-month in June, after falling 1.1 percent in May. Analysts had expected a rise of around 0.4 percent.
The figures were boosted by strong clothing sales, with sales at department stores up 2.7 percent and sales of household goods rising 3.3 percent. However, a surprisingly weak demand for alcohol in June pushed food sales down 0.5 percent.
“Today’s retail sales figures show overall growth. A particularly warm June seems to have prompted strong sales in clothing, which has compensated for a decline in food and fuel sales for the month.
“Looking at the quarterly data, the underlying trend as suggested by the three-month on three-month movement is one of growth, following a fall in quarter 1, suggesting a relatively flat first half of 2017.”
The encouraging figures may go some way to dispel fears that the UK economy is entering a period of negativity, after a series of disappointing economic figures in the second quarter.