Department stores and online shopping drive rebound in UK retail sales

UK retail sales returned to growth last month amid a boost from online shopping and department stores, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales volumes increased by 0.5% in August, compared with the previous month.

It represented a recovery after a decline of 0.5% in July.

It was a stronger performance than widely expected, with economists having predicted a decline of 0.2% for August.

Experts at the ONS said stronger trading by non-store retailers, which predominantly covers online firms, helped to support the uptick in performance.

Non-store retailers reported that sales volumes lifted by 1.7% for August compared with the previous month, bouncing back from a slump in demand in July.

The figures also showed a recovery in sales from department stores, lifting to a three-month high of 1.8% for the month after firms had said “stock availability issues” weighed on trading in July.

The ONS said retail sales volumes increased by 0.9% over the three months to August, compared with the previous three months.

ONS senior statistician Jon Gough said: “Retail sales increased in the latest three months, with a particularly strong June for online outlets helping to boost their sales across the period.

“Food store sales also rose, with supermarkets doing well in July and August.”