Retail sales rise in September

The amount of goods sold in September rose 2.5% on volumes in September 2011, the Office for National Statistics said today.

Sales volumes rose 0.6% on the previous month in September following a 0.1% fall between July 2012 and August 2012.

The amount spent was estimated to have increased by 1.1% between August and September following a 0.2% increase between July and August.

New winter clothing collections and school uniform sales drove a 2% rise in clothing and footwear sales.

Annual store price inflation was estimated to have increased to 0.7% while the figure rose 1.3% month-on-month as upward pressure came from a rise in prices at stores selling textiles, clothing and footwear.

The average weekly spend across all retailing in September was estimated at £6.6bn compared with £6.5bn in August and £6.4bn in September 2011.

The proportion of online sales was estimated to have increased by 0.5% between August and September 2012. Compared with a year ago, the proportion of onlinesales in September was estimated to have increased by 0.5%. In September, the estimated average weekly spend on line was £507.8m.

EBay UK retail director Angus McCarey said: “Today’s figures show that it continues to be a challenging time for retailers. However, technology is changing the way consumers shop and has the potential to provide a valuable lifeline to the retail sector.”

Barclays head of retail and wholesale Richard Lowe said: “Seasonal weather is encouraging shoppers back into stores, as consumers pile on the layers ready for the winter months. The falling temperatures, however, may see consumers being more cautious in the face of rising utility bills.”

British Retail Consortium economist Richard Lim said: “Times remain very tough, but retailers will be cautiously optimistic that this tentative boost builds during the crucial countdown to Christmas.”