Retail sales in Great Britain fell 0.4% in September — The Guardian

In Great Britain, retail sales volume decreased by 0.4% in September compared with the previous month. The decline was more substantial than economists had expected, as they had forecast a 0.1% contraction, The Guardian reports, citing the Office for National Statistics.

Weak online clothing sales

Declines were recorded in almost all retail segments. Non-store sales, which predominantly cover online trade, saw the largest decrease, falling by 2.2%. Sales at textile, clothing and footwear stores declined by 0.9%, at household goods retailers by 0.5%, and at supermarkets by 0.4%.

The figures were affected in particular by weak online sales of autumn and winter clothing due to unusually warm weather. At the same time, purchases at department stores rose by 0.2%, making them the only sector to record growth, excluding fuel.

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Fuel sales increased

The volume of automotive fuel sold in September rose by 2.2% month on month, despite record-high prices at petrol stations. In value terms, fuel sales increased by 6.1%, the largest monthly rise since March, when the figure was 10.9%.

Excluding the effect of fuel, retail sales declined by 0.7%, while the market had expected a 0.1% decrease. The statistics agency revised August data upward: monthly growth was 0.7% instead of the previously estimated 0.5%. Overall, quarterly sales volume increased by 0.7% year on year.