Retail sales returned to growth in February having shrunk in January but the BRC warned that many retailers were worried about getting through to the provisional April 12 reopening date.
In the four weeks between January 31 and February 27, retail sales increased 9.5% on a like-for-like basis and 1% on a total basis, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Sales Monitor.
The data showed much of this was driven by a rise in online, particularly in non-food categories, with non-essential online sales soaring 82.2% in February, against growth of 3.6% in February 2020. This is above the three-month average of 68.1% and the 12-month average of 49.1%.
Non-food online penetration rates also increased to 60.6% during the period compared to 30.8% in February 2020.
With non-essential stores continuing to be closed in much of the UK due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, in-store sales of non-food items declined 38.9% on a total and 21.4% on a like-for-like basis.
By comparison, in-store food sales for the period continued their strong growth, up 7.6% on a like-for-like basis and 7.9% on a total basis.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said while a return to sales growth in February was welcome, many in the industry were concerned about surviving until the provisional reopening date for non-essential retail in England of April 12.
She said: “February saw a return to growth after a disappointing start to the year. The prime minister’s roadmap to reopening prompted a burst in spending on non-food items, such as school uniforms. Furthermore, with another month of lockdown still to go, online sales were high, rewarding the retailers who have invested digitally.
”Couples staying home for Valentine’s Day found themselves splashing out at their local supermarket, benefiting food sales. Meanwhile, the continued closure of so-called ‘non-essential’ retail has meant that non-food in-store sales remained significantly down, underlining the importance of a successful reopening in April.
“While the uptick in sales is encouraging, many retailers are concerned about the months ahead. Many retail businesses will be hoping that customers will return to shops and have spent hundreds of millions on making their premises Covid-secure, but previous reopenings have shown that demand can be slow to come back. The government has a vital role to play in building up consumer confidence across the country to power the spending-led recovery.”
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