A cold and wet start to summer has dampened non-food retail sales across the UK, although the start of the Euros and the summer of sport have helped with an uptick in food purchases.
The latest BRC-KPMG sales monitor data for the month of June shows total sales for the period dropped 0.2% year on year, compared with 4.9% growth for the same period in June 2023.
Food sales, by comparison, grew 1.1% year-on-year over the three months to June, against a 9.8% growth in June 2023 – although much of this was driven by inflation.
Non-food sales dropped 2.9% over the three months to June, against a 0.3% growth in the same period in 2023.
In-store, non-food sales decreased 3.7% over the same period, while online non-food sales dropped 0.7%.
British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Retail sales performed poorly in June as the cooler weather during the first half of the month dulled consumer spending. Sales of weather-sensitive categories, such as clothing and footwear, as well as DIY and gardening, were hit particularly hard, especially compared with the surge in spending during last June’s heatwave.
“Electronics sales had a better month as football fans cheering on their national teams upgraded their home entertainment systems and people replaced their pandemic purchases. Retailers remain hopeful that as the summer social season gets into full swing and the weather improves, sales will follow suit.
“The retail industry is vital to the nation’s economy as an important source of employment and investment. The industry shapes local communities and provides three million jobs across the country. Through its scale and reach, retail can make a huge contribution to Labour’s policy goals, and the industry stands ready to work with the new government to find ways to make this happen.”
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